Powerful Magic
by Obsidianna
Summary: It had been one night, just one, but apparently one was all it took... especially when powerful magic was involved. Post Curse. Slightly AU.
1. Away

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, though I certainly wish I owned Lana Parrilla.**

**A/N: This story takes place in Fairytale Land, exactly one year and two months and a half after their arrival. I think it can classify as an AU but I'll leave you to decide that. Regina's character may seem a little OOC but it's because of the lapse of time that I am taking the liberty to make. In that period of time, she's changed and she now seems more like the **_**Redemption!Regina**_** that we are currently watching in Storybrooke. With that said, I hope you enjoy the story and that you leave me your thoughts in the reviews after! It's my first fic so it'll be nice to hear what you think of it.**

When Regina found out she was pregnant she had almost set the whole Enchanted Forest on fire. It's not like she was mad at the woman, no. She was _furious _at her. It was actually good that Emma had been miles away from her when the pregnancy results came out positive; else she was fairly sure she would have added another heart to her collection in the vault.

It had been one night, _just one_, but apparently one was all it took, especially when powerful magic was involved. Emma had even had the bluntness to call it a "one night stand" when they hadn't even done it on their own free will. Ok, maybe they had… or at least some part of them had, but the fact that they had been under the influence of powerful magic did not help ease Regina at all. Of course, they were oblivious to that fact when said night happened.

She could remember the events that led her to that night awfully well. There had been a storm outside and it had caught Regina and her steed venturing out on the forest. She had simply gone for a ride; she had a tendency to do that every time she needed to clear her head. Before she had mounted atop her horse, she'd noticed the black clouds forming in the sky but she had decided to ignore them. After all, a little rain had never killed anyone before.

When the rain began to pour heavily on her an hour later, Regina realized she was probably in the middle of nowhere and too far from the castle to actually attempt to go back. That left her with only one option: finding shelter until the storm passed.

And that was what she had been doing until a certain blonde annoyance appeared from out of nowhere, dressed in a simple white vest, brown pants, high leather boots and drenched to the core. Regina had protested, she really had, but the blonde was known for her stubbornness and there was nothing Regina could do to dissuade her. So in the end, Regina allowed Emma to "save her" (because that's what the blonde had said she had come to do) and let her lead the way to a supposed cave just a little short distance away.

Regina snapped her tongue in disgust as she gazed outside the window. She was still having problems admitting to what had happened later in that damn cave.

The place was enchanted, that much was obvious, and both women had been drawn to each other almost immediately. The pull was so intense that, despite all their initial struggles, they had ended up entangled in one another's naked bodies by the end of the night.

Regina was honestly not sure how many times they had driven each other to an orgasm. After the seventh time she had lost any kind of rational thought and had found it an impossible task to do anything else but succumb under Emma's touch.

When daylight found them sleeping in each other's arms both women had chosen to pretend nothing had happened. But it had, hell it had.

Regina ran a hand across the gentle swell of her stomach absentmindedly and stepped away from the window. She retraced her steps to her new study (she had decided to change rooms after Emma had left) and sat on her leather chair. She finished folding the paper she had been writing on earlier and procured an envelope from a drawer. Then, she placed the letter inside the envelope and sealed it close. Her fingers lingered on the letter for a few moments and she closed her eyes. It had been two months and a half since Emma had departed to the Southern lands with an army, _her_ army, and she had received no news from the woman ever since.

She knew she was alive but not thanks to Emma. As much as she hated to admit it, it had been Snow White who had informed her of her daughter's well being.

Regina had been madly furious when she learnt that Emma was well but had not contacted her in the least. The woman didn't even have the decency to let her know if her army still had a leader or not. Or at least that's what she liked to say to convince herself that she wasn't actually worried about the woman. Please, she couldn't even bare the sight of her, let alone care if she lived, right?

Regina shook her head to clear her thoughts. She had been finding herself daydreaming a lot lately and that was not going to help her run a kingdom in Emma's absence, so she'd better stop doing it.

"Rosalie!" Regina called the maid and was pleased when the woman entered the room just a few moments later.

"Yes, my Regent?" The woman asked. Rosalie had been working under Regina's service for as long as she could remember, she had known her since she was a hopeless child destined to marry a man she could never love.

"Take this to Master Leon. Tell him to attach it to one of my speaking ravens and to take it to Snow White's Kingdom" Regina handed Rosalie the letter and watched in silence as a confusion marred the other woman's features "I know you as well as you know me, Rose, and I don't need to hear you ask the question for me to guess it" Regina sighed and tried to force the next words out of her mouth "Yes, it's for Princess Emma. It's about time she learns the truth."

Rosalie took the letter from Regina's hand and motioned for the door handle.

"I will take it to Master Leon at once"

"Thank you, Rosalie"

The plump woman exited the room, letter in hand, leaving Regina alone with only her thoughts as her company.

The minute the door closed, Regina felt exhausted. She hadn't been sleeping much at all since she found out that she was with child. She hadn't broken the news to anyone but Rosalie and Henry and the weight of her silence was beginning to wear her down. She wasn't going to be able to keep it a secret for much longer and, with Emma's absence, she could only think of trouble coming up ahead.

What would the whole Kingdom think of her when they realized she was pregnant? They already distrusted her, for not saying hated her (which they did, also) but when they found out of her condition they would surely think she was plotting against the Princess to take the Kingdom back or some crazy crap like that and they would burn her to the stake, surely.

Regina stood up from her place at the desk and decided to go for a walk to clear her mind. She didn't know where she was going until she was right in front of Henry's door. She knocked but no answer came forth, so she entered.

The room was bathed in darkness, except for the light coming from the small torchlight on the bed that Henry had brought from Storybrooke. It was the same torchlight that he always used to secretly read his comics after Regina had sent him to bed, and the former Evil Queen couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. It had been well over a year since the curse was broken and they had found a way to return home but, somehow, it still felt odd to be back. Fairytale Land had changed a lot during their twenty-eight year absence but the townsfolk still remembered what their Evil Queen had done to their families and friends.

Regina let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding and let herself fall flat on the bed.

When they came back to this world, everyone she knew from Storybrooke and Fairytale Land alike, had united to lynch her. She had tried to fled, thinking her magic would be as strong as it had been back then but it hadn't worked and, if it hadn't been for Henry and Emma, she'd be long dead.

It still surprised her, what they both had done for her. When the mob came at her, Henry had pleaded for Emma to do something and the woman had literally jumped in front of her and acted as a human shield. She had been so fast that the infuriated mob, led by Dr. Whale, hadn't realized of her move and one of them (Regina still wasn't sure of whom) pierced Emma's arm with a blade.

That had been enough incentive for the Charmings to sprint into action and stop the mob from causing any more damage.

Regina smiled at the memory. Emma had lived up to her new title of "Savior" and had rescued her from that angry mob. However, that selfless gesture wasn't the most important thing Emma had done for Regina, just maybe the first.

**I**

_I know you did not leave in good terms with me and I do know you are extremely occupied with trying to save your mother's Kingdom from the Ogres but I would not be writing to you if it wasn't important. You need to come home. _

_I'm pregnant… and, believe it or not, it's yours._

_R._

"So, what does it say?" Emma stared at the window in front of her as she tried to process the words she had just read. Regina was pregnant and it was hers, as in her _biological_ child?

When she didn't respond, Snow crossed the distance between them and rested a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Hey, are you alright?" Emma turned her back to the window to face her mother. She clutched at the letter in her hand tightly, almost crushing it beneath her fingers "Emma, what is it?"

"It's Regina… she's… she's _pregnant_" Emma watched as Snow's expression changed from worry, to confusion, to anger in just a second.

"What do you _mean_ she's pregnant?" She tried, but Emma interrupted her.

"…and she says it's mine, _my_ child" Emma's eyes watered and Snow's expression softened remarkably at the sight of her distressed daughter "How's that even possible?"

Snow decided to ignore her daughter's last question and, instead, focus on a very pressing thought that was creeping up in her mind "Emma, did you… did you and Regina…?" Snow's cheeks were a furious shade of red and Emma could tell she was fighting against some inner turmoil with all her might.

"Yeah, we kinda did" Emma admitted rather sheepishly and Snow's jaw went slack. The color in her cheeks quickly spread across her face and down her neck. The woman was clearly fuming with madness "but-but it was just once! And Regina said it was because there was some sort of enchantment thingy going on!" Emma was now as visibly frustrated as her mother. She was gesticulating with her hands and seemingly about to start pacing or pull her hair, or both.

Snow sighed and took her daughter by the hand. She led her across her chambers to sit at the edge of the bed. When they both sat, Snow took a deep breath and mentally prepared herself for what she was about to say. Explaining the logics of a magical world to a city girl still in denial was not going to be an easy task.

"Listen, Emma. Regina being with child is something entirely possible and if you two… if _that_ happened, even if it was just once… " Snow struggled to get the words out of her mouth.

"Thanks for the information, mom, but I learnt all about sex in my teenage years" Emma interrupted her, clearly annoyed. She was about to stand when Snow caught her by the arm and forced her to have a sit again.

"That's not what I was trying to say, Emma. Just hear me out, ok?" Emma sighed but eventually agreed to listen to what her mother had to say "Conceiving children under magical circumstances, even with two people of the same sex, is something not unheard of in this Land… It has its precedents"

"So it's true? Regina _is_ carrying my child"

"Yes, Emma. It could be true but it could also be just a trap. After all, what best way to get you back in that castle? She knows you are under my protection now and you are fighting the same clan of Ogres that used to respond to her. I know you want to believe she's starting to change, Emma, but maybe you have to face the reality that she will always be the Evil Queen" Upon hearing that, something triggered inside Emma and she sprung from the bed as if it was on fire.

She glared at her mother, disbelieving of what she'd just heard. They had been in Fairytale land for a little bit longer than a year and, for that amount of time, it had been Emma who had lived under Regina's former castle. It was she who had shared a roof with the woman who had cursed this entire land. It was she who had witnessed how Regina changed, little by little, everyday.

So she simply couldn't allow anyone, not even her mother, to say such a thing about the woman anymore.

"I've come here because you needed reinforcements against the Ogres. Regina lent me _her_ army so I could come and save you all. She allowed me to come all this way knowing that, in leaving her alone, she was endangering herself again" Emma said, trying to cool her temper for both their sakes "You needed reinforcements? Well, here they are. Keep the army, but I'm going back to the castle"

"Emma" Snow protested, getting off of the bed to try and reason with her daughter.

"No, don't. I've made up my mind" Snow tried to touch her shoulder, but Emma moved away from her reach "Regina says she's pregnant and I… believe her. I'm sorry, Snow, but I'm going back whether you like it or not"

**II**

She was dozing off on the big wooden chair when she felt a soft kick on her ankle "Mom, you're doing it again" Henry whispered so low that only she could hear him.

Regina straightened herself a little and willed her eyes to remain open. She was finding it so hard, though, and these council meetings weren't helping in the slightest. The council members were boring as hell and she wondered how on earth anyone could put up with this torture.

For once, she was thankful for having been the Evil Queen and not any goody two shoes because, at least, she hadn't had to deal with anyone "advising her" on how to rule her damn Kingdom.

Regina felt rather than heard one of the council members, sitting at the very end of the table, clear his throat to recapture her attention.

"My apologies, _My Lord_" Regina said through gritted teeth. She was still having some severe issues with addressing anyone by the title of Lord "You may continue" She sat back on her temporary throne and pretended to listen to the old man rambling about how some herd was having trouble with a wolf that kept destroying their homes.

As if she cared about such mundane troubles. She had far more pressing matters to attend to right now than to decide whether to send more bricks to the herd so that they could rebuild the destroyed houses or sending a patrol to hunt the wolf. One of those _more pressing matters to attend to_ involved suppressing the sudden nausea that was currently threatening to overthrow her.

She was nine weeks along in her pregnancy and the early symptoms weren't all gone yet. She was still experiencing morning sickness and she was always, without exception, exhausted. Apparently, her usual six hours sleep weren't enough for her body anymore.

Regina was sitting at the head of the table in the throne room, since she'd been named Regent during Emma's absence. Henry was sitting at her right and was looking as regal as an eleven year old could.

The boy had insisted on joining the council and Emma had had a hard time saying no to him. At first, the whole council was thrown aback by their new leader's decision of incorporating a kid into the meetings but, as time passed, they began to realize just how down to earth and incredibly witty the young boy was. Now, they valued his opinion as much as they did the rests'.

It was good for them, to have Henry as a member. Aside from having proven to have an ever surprising knowledge about the lands and its inhabitants (or _characters_, as he often called them), he also acted as some sort of lifeguard for all those present. The council members doubted very much that Regina would dare raise her voice in her son's presence, let alone _slay them alive_ (which was their underlying concern), and it worked the other way around for the ex Evil Queen, who couldn't allow herself to lose her temper in front of her darling boy. So, with Henry's presence at the meetings, everyone won… including now that Regina was fighting back a wave of nausea.

"…so what do you suggest, My Regent?" The old man asked, snapping her from her absorption once more.

Regina turned her gaze back at him but couldn't muster a word. She was trying her hardest to suppress her nausea and she knew that, if she opened her mouth, she'd bathe all of the council members with the apples she'd had for breakfast. And it wouldn't be pretty.

She shook her head slightly, trying to communicate with her body language. She rapidly brought a hand to her mouth and used the other one to rest it upon her stomach. All of the council members gazed at her flabbergasted. Clearly, they didn't understand why the former Evil Queen was turning a dangerous shade of green right in front of them. But Henry did.

"I'm sorry, guys, but my mom needs a break" He informed, rapidly rising from his chair and indicating that the council was temporarily dismissed.

"Of course, Master Henry" One of the eldest replied and they silently bowed their heads in synchrony to mother and son before exiting the premises.

Once the big double door of the Throne Room was closed behind them, Henry moved to her mother's side and placed a hand on the small of her back.

"Mom, hold on for a sec. I'll be right back" And with that, he left the room in a sprint.

He returned a minute later with a purple vase in his hand.

"Here" He handed it over to her and watched as her mother gripped the vase for dear life as she emptied the contents of her stomach inside.

When she was done, she moaned in clear disgust and pushed the purple vase away.

"It's gonna be ok, mom" Henry soothed, and Regina would have been delighted to hear her son comforting her, had she not been in such current state of misery.

"When your mother comes back, remind me to kill her for this" Regina growled and let herself slump back on the chair.

Henry chuckled beside her. He never knew his mother could be so funny when she was this utterly frustrated. He placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly "Come, mom. Let's take you to bed so you can have some rest"

**III**

It was well past midnight but Regina couldn't sleep. She wasn't tired anymore, since Henry had forced her to nap until noon that day. Her son had been right, she needed to rest. Her body was changing and she would have to get used to that, sooner rather than later. It's that she hated admitting that being pregnant made her look weak with all the much needed rest, nausea and those stupid raging hormones. And the fact that the person responsible for her _weakness_ wasn't there to blame made it all the worse.

So, when Regina finished all her duties as the Regent of the Kingdom and got ready for bed, she found her mind was too active for her to relax. After half an hour of unsuccessfully trying to fall asleep, she threw the covers away and got up, already frustrated again. She put on a light blue nightgown, since there was a slight chill in the air, and walked down to her balcony.

She stayed there, thinking. Her thoughts kept leading her to Emma Swan and, as much as she tried to fight them back, they kept on arising so eventually she gave up and allowed them to surface.

She remembered the first winter they spent in Fairytale Land. It had been so long ago since Regina had lived there that she'd forgotten just how cold they actually were. So, one afternoon, Henry had begged her to go out and make a snowman with him. She was reluctant at first but, upon seeing her son's puppy dog eyes, she relented and they both headed down to the courtyard, which was beautifully bathed in thick white snow.

They had decided to throw a little contest, to see who could make the best snowman and Regina had jumped right to it, feeling invigorated by the thrill of a good competition. Henry had finished his about half an hour later and, by the time he was done, he was freezing cold. He'd apologized to his mother and run back to the castle in order to warm up but Regina had stubbornly stayed outside, trying to finish building the most perfect snowman in the history of the Enchanted Forest.

By the time _she_ was done, she could hardly move her limbs and was frozen to the core. She made it back to the castle staggering and mumbling incoherent words, but still standing.

Emma, who had been sitting in front of a big fire alongside Henry, had jumped to her feet and ran all the way to her, carefully engulfing her in her arms and leading her to the fireplace. She then had procured a mug of hot tea for her and had taken off her own red leather jacket (which she kept insisting on wearing) and wrapped it around her shoulders to warm her up.

Inevitably, Regina contracted pneumonia after her episode with the snowman and, surprisingly so, it was Emma who had sat beside her bed for seven days straight, nursing her back to health. Regina had been in and out of consciousness for that period of time, more out than in actually but, in the moments she'd been conscious, she'd noticed how Emma was always there, sitting by her side in a chair or gazing upon her frame from her place by the window. Once, she could swear she felt a warming body snuggling up behind her in the bed but she couldn't quite be sure, since she'd been burning up with fever at the time.

Regina could recount numberless memories just like that one, in which Emma had been there for her, looking after her, protecting her even. The former Mayor couldn't understand just why the blonde woman would do any of those things, since she clearly didn't deserve being cared for, let alone by her nemesis's daughter.

The woman was clearly a puzzle to her but one that she found wanting to figure out. She wanted to understand Emma's motives, what fueled her, how her gears worked. Regina realized just then that she in fact wanted to get to know the woman and, that thought, scared her to death.

**IV**

Morning found her strolling down the beautiful Castle gardens, in search of her beloved apple tree. The sun had just come up in the sky and it still was rather cold outside but Regina didn't mind at all. The cool air was helping her to stay awake and focus on the task at hand. She hadn't had breakfast yet. It was far too early in the morning for even the staff to be awakened, so she had decided to procure the morning meal by herself.

She hadn't slept that night at all, her mind had been far too active to do so and now her body was sore and tired, even more tired than usual. Henry would notice for sure, and he would not be happy with it. Regina bit her lip in displeasure and lengthened her stride. Ever since Emma had left, Henry had turned every bit the man of the house… or castle, whatever. It was all Emma Swan's fault, of course. It was she who had given him clear instructions to keep a close eye on her.

At first, Regina thought that the blonde was doing it to control her or use her son against her but, as the weeks wore off, she realized her son was actually trying to look after her. The brunette wasn't sure if that had been Emma's plan all along or if Henry had strayed a little in her mother's absence but, whichever the case; she was enjoying it a little too much. After all, it was all she'd wanted back in Storybrooke: for Henry to care for her.

The apple tree she had brought back from Maine was taller than it had ever been before. Regina was still surprised upon seeing how much the tree had grown since they'd come back to Fairytale Land. She had tended to it since she was a little girl; she had treated the tree as if it were her own child, nursing it, caring for it. She had watched it grow every day, since the day she'd planted it. That was why she was so surprised, never before the tree had grown so much in such short amount of time. Maybe it just liked this place more than it did the others, but it still was odd.

Regina shook her head to clear her thoughts and gazed at the apples hanging before her. They were a dark shade of red, redder than ever before, another surprising fact. The woman selected the apples that seemed more mature and began to pluck them off, one by one, and to deposit them in the basket she'd brought from the castle.

She was so absorbed in the task at hand that she did not hear the nearing footsteps from behind her. She only stopped short when she felt the tip of a sword pressed against the small of her back.

"You're dead" A woman's voice said "I thought I'd taught you better than that, Regina"

The former mayor froze in place. That voice. The basket fell from her hands and the apples rolled in every direction on the floor.

The woman retired the sword from Regina's back and slid an arm around her waist, resting her palm against the woman's small bump.

Regina felt rather than heard the gasp that escaped the other woman's mouth and her shoulders tensed in anticipation.

"So it's true" She whispered "You're pregnant"

Regina turned around slowly. The air was so thick that it could be cut with a knife and she didn't want to make any sudden movements.

"Emma" Regina whispered, suddenly frightened of the other woman's response "You're back"

The blonde woman nodded dimly with her head. Regina noticed she was still dressed in her battle garments and that there were black rings under her eyes. She bit her lip when realization hit her: Emma had travelled day and night, without any rest, in order to get back. Regina had sent the letter about a week ago, so that meant that Emma had…

It must have been the lack of sleep, or food, or the fact that Emma was suddenly back… or maybe all that together but Regina's legs suddenly felt too weak to support her weight and bucked, toppling forward.

"Whoa" Emma was quick to catch her in her arms before she could hit the ground "Are you ok?"

Regina gazed up to meet Emma's green eyes. Her head felt so heavy and her vision was quickly blurring but she managed to raise a hand and caress Emma's cheek before it fell limp to her side, signaling her loss of consciousness.


	2. Together

**A/N: I am incredibly happy by the wonderful reception this fic's been having. Can't thank you enough! I must confess it was the main reason for me to update so fast (I'm usually a slow updater, but that's because English is not my mother tongue… I am Argentinian btw, I don't have a beta and I'm a perfectionist… I tend to go over the details once and again until I think it's good enough to be posted). So yeah, thanks to all your reviews, favs and follows I am updating this fast =) So, keep them coming and I'll do my best =) Lastly, do enjoy!**

**I**

When she opened her eyes she was surprised to find herself lying comfortably on the bed in her chambers. Regina wondered how in heaven she'd gotten there, since the last she remembered was passing out in Emma freaking Swan's arms in a very, _very_ humiliating manner.

The brunette sat straight on the bed, growling her displeasure at the memory, and quickly bringing a hand to her head. It still felt heavy, pretty much as if a gigantic elephant had stepped right on it, way and back.

She cast a look around.

The room was empty, except for a tray of food deposited at the end of the bed. Rosalie must have been there without her hearing anything but then again the old woman never entered her chambers without her permission first. Regina came to the conclusion that someone of a little higher rank than hers must have instructed the maid to leave the tray inside.

The brunette bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't need to think twice on who it had been.

**II**

Regina found her on the Throne Room, chatting animatedly with one of the Council Members whose name she believed was Sir Raphael or something of the sort. She saw Emma so absorbed in the conversation that Regina opted for staying behind, partially hidden by the doorframe, until she was done speaking to the man.

It was rather fascinating to watch the former closed up city girl discuss matters of state and interact so smoothly with one of the outmost respected members of the Council.

Regina could very well remember the blonde's first months at the castle when she'd literally locked herself up in her room, refusing to be anyone's princess or take charge in any way for that matter. It had been the most amusing months for Regina since they'd arrived. She'd spent an awfully long time trying to coax the stubborn princess out of her chambers, but she had also silently enjoyed the other woman's childish demeanor.

It had taken a lot of talking through and processing for Emma to finally open that damn door and step out to try and be the leader that everyone was expecting her to be. Regina found amusement in the fact that Emma still flinched whenever anyone addressed her by the title of "princess".

The brunette watched how Sir Raphael bowed his head in respect and walked out of the room, the conversation apparently over. It was only then that she decided to make her presence known to the other woman.

"Thank you for the food" Regina said, breaking the silence that had just fallen upon the place and walking down to the center of the room, where Emma was standing. She watched as the blonde turned around to the sound of her voice "It was a nice gesture"

Emma smiled at subtle compliment, even though it was obviously tainted with jibe "Hey, you looked like you could use a snack" She retorted playfully, making a reference to her passing out earlier, and then tended her arm to the older woman.

Regina stared at the offered arm with a frown and Emma chuckled, clearly amused "I promise I don't have leprosy" The brunette rolled her eyes and huffed, feeling insulted, but slipped a hand around the blonde's arm nonetheless.

"Where are we going?" Regina asked, suddenly feeling slightly curious.

Emma pretended to ponder on it for a moment "You'll see" She answered with a crooked smile, knowing that it'd annoy Regina to no end not having her question answered.

Emma led her quietly into the courtyard, where they passed by the Orchard Gardens and, later, by Regina's beloved apple tree. They continued walking in silence, one because she was trying to act unaffected by their close proximity and the other because she was having too much fun watching the other woman struggling to remain under control but failing... visibly.

By the time they reached the small lake, Regina was on the verge of an anxiety attack and Emma was biting down on her lip to contain her laughter.

"Ok, torture's over" Emma quickly stated once they reached their destination, allowing Regina to wrench her hand away from her arm and for a huge smile to spread on her lips.

Regina immediately put some distance between herself and the blonde and glared at her unabashedly until she realized just where it was Emma had taken her to. Her honey brown eyes grew wide and sparkled at the unexpected beauty of the place. They were out in the open, the castle barely visible in the distance. There were small green hills surrounding them, as well as some scattered trees that converged into a forest later on. But the most captivating trait of the landscape was the small lake in front of them with its transparent and still waters.

The sight was breathtaking, really.

Regina turned around to look at Emma, who was returning her gaze with a wicked smile plastered on her face. There was something in the blonde's green eyes, as if she was daring her to say something… anything at all.

"Why here?" Was all Regina could muster, still dazzled both by the beauty of the place and the fact that Emma had taken her there.

And even though the brunette had almost whispered the question Emma heard it all the same and smiled, knowingly. She had brought the woman to this precise place on purpose. She was aware of the importance the place held for the brunette because it was beginning to hold the same importance for her now too. Not that she would ever say it, no.

Emma shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. She wasn't fooling anyone though and, soon, another huge smile appeared on her face.

"I was hoping this place would take an effect on you" She admitted almost shyly with her eyes cast downwards "…and that maybe we could talk?" At this, Emma raised her eyes to meet Regina's and gave her a very hopeful look.

Regina nodded, after a moment, and moved to sit against a tree trunk that was facing the lake. Emma followed her suit and sat beside her, at a prudent distance.

"Do you remember this place?" Emma probed, her eyes fixed on the clear waters of the lake.

"This is where the portal brought us to" The brunette answered calmly after a few seconds, recalling the memory in the back of her mind "Here is where you saved me from the mob" Regina watched from out of the corner of her eye how Emma's head turned to look at her but she refused to meet the other woman's eyes, so she kept her gaze fixed upfront.

"They were pretty angry at you, huh?" Emma teased and Regina smiled in spite of herself. The blonde had such a simple way of putting things that, sometimes, it was easy for her to give in and smile along with her.

"That would be an understatement, dear" Regina mused with the smile still plastered on her face. She seemed to ponder on something for a moment and then her smile was suddenly gone "What happened in that cave…" She shook her head, her lips turning into a thin line "There was an enchantment… we both know that already, but what we ignored is that there was a fertility ritual taking place near us at the moment. The cave was, apparently, the place where the two chosen mates where to copulate and it is also the place where we so conveniently happened to barge in and… well you know the rest" Regina trailed off, decided on not to repeat what had transpired between them in that cave again.

"Oh… I see"

It was definitely a lot to take in. Magic caves, fertility rituals, magic babies… _her and Regina's magic baby_… oh crap. Emma shook her head; she was not going to gain anything by promptly standing up and running in the opposite direction (like her head was suggesting her to do). Instead, she took a deep breath and braced herself to face the situation like the princess (scratch that) adult she was "Listen, Regina" Emma said her, turning her body to face the woman "I know a baby is a big deal but I…" Emma's words were suddenly cut off short when a soldier from the City Guard appeared from out of nowhere, screaming her name.

"Princess Emma! Princess Emma!" The young soldier was running at full speed, clutching a piece of parchment in his hands as for dear life.

Both women sprung to their feet immediately and rushed to meet the soldier atop of a hill. When he reached them, the young boy came to an abrupt halt and tended the parchment to Emma "For y-you, P-princess" He blurted out, struggling to catch his breath "From Snow W-White's King-dom"

Emma practically ripped the parchment from the soldier's grip in desperation and quickly unrolled it before her. She read each line almost in a blurring speed, knowing that no one would dare interrupt her when she was out of the castle if it wasn't deadly serious.

Emma's heart constricted painfully with each paragraph she read and, by the end of the letter, her grip on the parchment was so strong that she almost tore it apart. When she was done, she raised her eyes and gave the young man a piercing gaze that sent shivers up his spine.

"Are you sure this was sent by my mother?" She asked, the urge in her voice causing the man to take an involuntary step backwards.

He nodded vigorously, suddenly distrusting his ability to produce coherent speech.

"Then there's no time to wait" She announced somberly and Regina tensed behind her.

**III**

She felt rather than heard his footsteps coming up from behind her. He was quiet when he walked, it always felt like he tiptoed his way around the Castle, but Regina had years of expertise when it came to playing the cat and mouse game, and she tended to be the cat. So, she let him walk up to her and take a place at her side pretending she hadn't noticed him and without averting her eyes from the figure landing ferocious blows to a straw man down by the courtyard.

"She's leaving again, isn't she?" Henry asked, watching as Emma moved a few steps away from the straw man only to charge back again, full force.

He didn't wait for his brunette mother to reply, for he already knew the answer to that question. He may be a kid but he wasn't as oblivious as everyone else thought he was. When he saw that soldier run after Emma as fast as he had bearing news from his grandma's Kingdom, followed by overhearing Emma and his mom argue in the Throne Room that morning, he easily put two and two together.

"You're just gonna let her leave, aren't you?" Henry contemplated how his mother's shoulders slumped upon hearing his question, but she didn't turn to meet his eyes nor did she give him a reply.

Not that he needed that one either. Again, he already knew the answer beforehand.

"Does she know about it?" Henry insisted, placing his hand on her mother's arm so as to try and force her to tear her eyes away from Emma "…the baby" The mention of her unborn child was all it took to make Regina snap from her absorption and look at her son's inquiring eyes.

"Yes" She said, too low for her own liking. She didn't know why but she was feeling as if she'd just had her heart crushed ever since that stupid soldier and his even more stupid piece of parchment.

What was she thinking, anyway? That Emma would forsake her duties as a Princess and Leader of an army only because she happened to carry her child?

Regina scoffed. That's why she never gave too much thinking into anything, other than plotting and scheming. Daydreaming was for foolish lovesick girls and teenagers, not for an Evil Queen. Well, former, but who cared about that tiny detail anyway. She certainly didn't.

She didn't even want to keep this baby, for crying out loud.

Did she?

She shook her head. She didn't.

She refused to raise another of Emma Swan's brats all alone again.

"It's gonna be ok, mom" Henry soothed reassuringly, squeezing her hand gently and giving her a sweet smile "You have me now" He said and Regina's eyes filled with tears.

Maybe she hadn't raised such a brat after all.

**IV**

_There were screams echoing through the halls, loud and desperate. Swords clashed in a maddening fury, metal shrieking against metal. Lifeless bodies covered the stone floors, blood oozing from their mortal wounds and bathing it all around her. She looked up from the corpses on the hall until her eyes met those of her enemy's. _

_The woman was standing at the end of the corridor, staring at her with a bemused smile even though she could not make out her identity. Disgust twisted at her gut. How could this woman be so pleased around such chaos and destruction? _

_She had killed her way into the castle, taking lives as if they were sheep for the slaughter, and now there was no stopping her. They were face to face and there was no one there to save her._

_She extended her hand, ready to use her magic against the other woman, but she was faster. A blast of green light collided against her chest and sent her flying against the wall. Her back collided against the hard material painfully and, as she hit the ground, she felt a searing pain on her protruding belly._

_Something was wrong with the baby._

_The woman laughed from across the hallway at her helplessness and began to make her way around the valley of fallen soldiers until she stopped right in front of her. The woman kneeled beside her and ran her knuckles along the length of her cheek almost tenderly. _

_Almost._

_Another wave of excruciating pain coming from her insides forced her to adopt a fetal position and ball her fingers into a fist. _

"_Ah. The baby is coming" The woman said, pleased with the news._

_Regina's heart skipped a beat. No. it couldn't be. It wasn't the time yet. It was too soon. The baby couldn't be coming, not now, not like this. She could feel tears of undiluted fear threatening to fall from her eyes. Her baby was going to be born here and now, in the midst of blood and death, and delivered right into this monster's arms. No, it couldn't be happening. The tears that she was trying to suppress finally began to pour from her eyes and stain her pale cheeks._

"_Oh, don't cry. I'm sure your saviour must be on her way to you now. Where is she anyway?" The woman laughed maliciously, knowing that no one was on her way to save her._

_Another wave of pain seared right through her and it was more than Regina could possibly bear. _

_She screamed._

"Hey! It's ok, I'm here" A pair of strong and lean arms wrapped around her body, pulling her in "Shh… you were just dreaming"

Regina suddenly broke away from the soothing embrace to look, confused, at the woman holding her "Emma?" She asked in a raw voice, possibly from having been screaming for far too long.

The blonde brushed away the tears that stained Regina's beautiful cheeks and let her palm linger there for a few moments.

"Yeah, it's me" Emma whispered not wanting to break the fragile atmosphere that hung between them.

Regina looked intently at Emma's green eyes for a few seconds, trying to discern if the woman was really there with her or if she was just dreaming again. She seemed to find her answer a moment later and let her head find shelter on Emma's shoulder. The blonde was quick to wrap her arms around Regina again and bring her close to her body as the other woman's tremors began to shake her.

When the brunette calmed somewhat Emma loosened her embrace a little, wanting to gaze into those honey brown eyes that were now puffy and red from crying.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, worry clearly etched upon her features.

Regina nodded faintly with her head, trying to stifle a sob. She was definitely not ok.

"You were screaming my name" Emma added now boring her eyes intently into Regina's, seemingly wanting to draw the truth from them.

The brunette looked at her confused since she clearly wasn't expecting that, though the rawness in her voice and the last part of her nightmare indicated that Emma's words could be entirely true.

"I was walking down the corridor to my room when I heard you crying out my name. Regina, you scared the hell out of me" She explained, the seriousness in her voice causing the brunette to flinch a little.

Apparently, the nightmare had shaken her more than was she was letting on because Regina never flinched. Ever. And Emma seemed to notice that because she quickly made a move to take the brunette's hand in hers and give it a reassuring squeeze.

"Wanna tell me what it was about… your dream?" She asked tentatively. She was extremely curious as to what was that had scared the former Evil Queen this profoundly but she also wanted to be sure she wasn't pushing the other woman into telling her something that she didn't feel comfortable with sharing. Emma knew Regina was very reserved.

Regina took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak but no sound came forth. Instead, she choked on a sob and tears began to spring from her eyes again.

Emma drew an arm around Regina's shoulders and brought her as close to her body as she could. The distressed woman's head buried in the crook of her neck where the tears quickly started to damp her tank top, but she paid them no mind.

"Whatever it is, it's over now" Emma whispered into Regina's ear, trying her best to comfort her. She was never one with words and she was no good with comforting anyone but she had learnt a thing or two by watching Regina interact with Henry this past year and she was thankful for that right now.

Emma stroked Regina's hair and waited, patiently, until her sobs subsided again. She knew now that whatever her nightmare had been about it was probably pretty bad and Regina was in no condition to talk about it as of now. Whatever it was, Emma would have to wait until the other woman felt ready to speak about it.

"Stay" Emma heard Regina whisper in a pleading voice against her neck and Emma silently nodded. It wasn't like she planned on leaving the brunette until she was back to her strong and sassy self again but her weak request simplified things a lot.

Emma removed her arm from around the other woman's shoulders and climbed on top of the bed as Regina watched her with curious eyes. She then made herself comfortable against the headboard and extended an arm to the brunette in a silent invitation to move closer. Regina took it without a second thought. Yeah, the nightmare had definitely shaken her to the core because Emma could think of no other explanation for the usually strong and overconfident woman to be so suddenly vulnerable and needy of human comfort, _her_ comfort no less.

Regina laid her head against Emma's stomach and draped an arm around her midsection to hold her in place.

"Close your eyes and try to fall back asleep, Regina. I won't leave your side"

All the fear that the horribly vivid nightmare had arisen in her gut suddenly diminished upon hearing those words coming from Emma's mouth and she sighed, allowing all the tension in her body to be released. Regina felt Emma's fingers rake her hair in a soothing manner and, slowly, she was lulled back into a dreamless sleep.

**V**

The sun had long since risen in the sky by the time Regina opened her eyes. She found she was laying flat on her stomach and that she was hugging a pillow with her arm but, other than that, the bed was empty. She sat on the mattress and cast a look around. A feeling quite similar to disappointment gnawed at her insides. Emma wasn't there like she said she would.

Suddenly, realization hit her and she sprung from the bed.

If the sun was up, if she had slept in without noticing the hour, if Emma wasn't there like she promised, then it could only mean…

Regina was about to open the door when somebody else opened it first, causing the brunette to stumble. She shut her eyes closed, waiting to hit the ground with her back but someone caught her as she fell. When she opened her eyes again, Regina found herself in Emma's strong grip. The next thing she noticed was the blonde's quirked eyebrow and lopsided grin, which immediately broke the spell she had momentarily fallen into.

Regina wrenched her arm away from Emma's hold, angrily, and took a step backwards to glare at the woman as if she hadn't just saved her.

"I thought you had left already" Regina growled to try and mask the fear that she had experienced when she saw Emma wasn't there when she'd woken up.

"Yeah, sorry about that… I was talking to my Sergeant at Arms in the hall" Emma offered apologetically but, upon seeing the brunette's stern look, she felt the need to elaborate further "He came knocking at the door when you were sleeping and I didn't want him to wake you, so I went to speak with him outside" She explained "I didn't think you'd wake in the moment I was talking to him"

Regina felt suddenly very guilty.

"It's fine, dear"

Emma nodded in silence, knowing that the subject was over, and made her way to the leather couch in front of the fireplace.

"Are you hungry?" She asked nonchalantly "Because I made Rosalie bring us some breakfast earlier this morning" Emma pointed to the tray of food over the small table before the fire.

"A little" Regina admitted, crossing the room in a few steps and taking a seat on the couch next to Emma.

She watched as the blonde helped herself to some orange juice and a very tasty looking pastry. She was taking her first bite when Regina asked "So you stayed here the whole night?"

Emma swallowed and then moved around to face the other woman.

"I said I would"

Regina nodded as she processed the blonde's words. Both women seemed all too aware of how fast the morning meal was turning into a serious conversation. There was much to be said, much to be discussed by the two of them but there simply wasn't time enough.

"When I woke up and didn't see you there I thought you had left" Regina whispered almost inaudibly but Emma heard her nonetheless.

"Regina…"

"No" Regina snapped, suddenly feeling very angry again "Don't try to patronize me. If you have to leave, then leave" She crossed her arms and looked away, and if the situation had been any different, Emma would have laughed at how childish the brunette looked but she couldn't, not now.

"I don't like it anymore than you do, Regina, but I was given no choice. Snow needs me and I can't simply turn away from that" Emma sighed, trying to control her temper. Losing it would do any of them no good "I know that you and I have a lot to talk about but we will do it, as soon as I get back"

Regina closed her eyes, wishing she could believe in Emma's words but she couldn't. There was too much going on in her mind, too much that she needed to say, too much that she needed to hear. Like what would happen once Emma was gone again, what she would do if there was an attack on the Castle when she was absent… or what about the baby, _their_ baby? They didn't even have a chance to talk about that. Regina didn't know how Emma felt about it at all. Hell, she didn't even know how _she_ felt about it. Lastly, there was her dream. She wasn't sure how but, somehow, Regina knew that her dream was more than simply that. It was a warning of something that would soon come to pass and it terrified her.

"When will that be, Emma?" Regina asked feeling defeated.

Emma scooted closer to the brunette and took her hand in hers, much like she had done the night before, and interlaced their fingers together.

"If it was up to me I would be back tomorrow, but it isn't" She said softly, trying to show the other woman how she truly felt about the matter "The Giants joined forced with the Ogres and they have the advantage now… and the fact that your army refuses to take commands from Snow White isn't really helping" She added playfully, nudging the brunette in the arm. They both smiled at the joke and Emma waited a few seconds before continuing with a serious tone "I'll try to be back… before she comes" She said almost in a whisper, placing her free hand over Regina's gentle swell.

Regina's eyes suddenly filled with tears at the unexpected heartfelt admission. Damn hormones. "She?" The brunette asked in a strangled voice, feeling the emotion of the moment catching up with her.

"Yeah" Emma shrugged, feigning indifference but failing miserably at hiding the huge smile tugging at the corner of her lips "Something tells me that in seven months there will be a mini you terrorizing the Castle"

Regina smiled at the mental image and Emma squeezed her hand, reassuringly.

"So, this is what you want?" Regina asked, fear crawling its way back into her again.

"I don't regret the decision I made with Henry. I wasn't ready then but I know I am now" Emma's eyes bore into hers, suddenly looking far younger than she was. Regina realized that Emma was actually waiting for her approval, and that even though the woman was now a Princess and the leader of an army, underneath it all she was just a girl… _human_, with all the fears and insecurities that the definition involved.

"I know" Regina conceded sincerely and watched as Emma's face lit up in wonder.

"So we do this… together?" The blonde asked, a look pure joy shinning in her eyes.

Regina nodded with a smile on her face.

"Together"


	3. Messages

**I**

It had been seven weeks, seven long and extremely dull weeks in which absolutely nothing of importance had happened at all. Regina had even learnt to wait for the boring Council Meetings with eagerness, since it was the only eventful thing that seemed to happen nowadays in the Castle.

Winter had finally arrived and, with it, all form of life and activity seemed to freeze. The snow had fallen so thick that it was literally impossible for anyone to venture out.

The townspeople had long since reaped what they'd sown during the year and they now kept it safely stashed in their homes, pretty much like the Castle Staff had done. So unless someone's life was in danger or wanted to commit suicide, then no one was seen outside their homes.

It made the days endless and incredibly boring. At first, Regina had tried going on queenly mode and resorted on solving the most pressing matters of state up to date. When she'd finished those, she'd insisted on having more Council Meetings than usual, just to have something to do with her time. When she found that there was absolutely nothing else to be discussed anymore, she'd gone down to the kitchens and even attempted to help Rosalie run the place. God knew she could use some bossing around.

When she was just a kid she'd loved to help the kitchen staff. She'd spent some long afternoons cooking and baking with the servants while trying to keep it a secret from her mother. That was why she was an excellent cook now. However, Rosalie had dismissed her as soon as she'd set the first foot in her kitchens. Apparently, there were too many people working there already and, according to Rosalie, the kitchens were no place for a person of her status.

Damn the status.

She was bored to death and having nothing to do was leading her to places she didn't wish to explore but it was inevitable and, yes, after seven weeks of being caged in that Castle her mind finally betrayed her and the first thought of Emma Swan arose.

It was the conversation she'd held with her the day she left again. The conversation in which Emma _I'm too scared for commitments_ Swan had told her she wanted to keep the baby that was growing inside of her. It had been such a mind-blowing statement that Regina had been struck mute for a moment, trying to process the other woman's words. For a second there she'd been about to ask her "Who are you and what have you done with the Emma I know?" but, upon looking at the blonde's eyes and seeing all the hopes and fears and expectations written all over her face, she'd realized the woman was being as serious as she could ever be. She wasn't joking when she'd said she wanted to do this with her, to raise the child _together_.

If she had to be completely honest, it wasn't the part of Emma wanting to bring a child into the world and claiming it as her own that terrified her. No. She knew the blonde had matured far more these past two years than what she'd ever had in her life before. Regina didn't doubt for a second that Emma could fill her role as a mother. It was the last part of Emma's admission that scared her to death. The blonde woman wanted to do this _with_ her, as in a partnership. _Together_, she'd said.

Regina sighed as she tried to order her thoughts.

What did _together_ mean anyway? Because she knew what it _didn't_ mean. According to Emma it didn't mean sticking around during her pregnancy, that much was a given. The woman had left twice already and Regina was sure she would again, in the future.

It made her angry at her and, the fact that she couldn't have her right in front of her to yell all of her frustrations at her, didn't help at all. In fact, it just made her even angrier.

Regina let out a puff of air and stomped her way into her bedchambers. She shut the door closed behind her and let herself slide down until she was sat on the floor with her back against the stone wall.

She knew she was probably overreacting. Regina was well aware that she didn't hold too much control of her emotions anymore and that knowledge frightened her. A lot was changing inside of her and, also, on the outside. Her emotions were a constant rollercoaster and she realized that trying to keep up with them was much more exhausting than to just let them flow unrestrictedly. Her usual over-controlled self was far gone and she figured there was no getting it back until this baby was born.

So why bother?

If she could just get a hold of that Emma Swan at least she'd be at the receiving end of her frustrations and that held a lot more appeal than just stomping and huffing and nearly pulling every hair of her body out in frustration.

But that wasn't going to be possible, at least not until the war with the Ogres was over. Or until Emma saw it fit to come back.

Regina rested a hand in the swell of her stomach and reveled at how much it had grown the past seven weeks. The bump was noticeable now, though it could be still easily hidden by her loose-fitting dresses. She was thankful for that last. They hadn't had a chance to announce the pregnancy to the Realm before and, with Emma far away, she wasn't sure she wanted to push her luck any further than she was already. Everyone knew just how unwelcomed the former Evil Queen was at the Castle.

The brunette stroked her belly absentmindedly as another thought ran rampant in her mind. Is this how it had been, for Emma?

Being pregnant was hard. Your body changed, your emotions were always on your sleeve but it was also… lonely. Even though she wasn't really, she had Henry, she had Rosalie and she had this tiny little being growing inside of her but, somehow, that just wasn't enough to suppress the feeling of abandonment she was experiencing. Bringing a child into the world was the ultimate act of love between a couple and Regina didn't have that. Their child had been conceived under a spell and pretty certainly not under love. What's more, Emma wasn't there… her company would have at least eased her feelings somewhat. Regina could bet on that.

If it was hard for her to be sixteen weeks along in her pregnancy alone, she didn't even want to think what it had been like for Emma to carry hers, not only completely alone, but also locked up in jail. Giving birth to Henry within those walls, so young and probably frightened…

Regina shook her head trying to push out the image of an eighteen year old Emma cradling a small bundle in her arms as it was ripped from her and handed over to a woman from social services. She choked on a sob and suddenly realized she'd been tearing up all along.

Was that compassion?

Regina got to her feet and wiped at the tears that were damping her cheeks. When was the last time she'd felt compassion for someone else anyway? She was pretty sure it was just the hormones raging. It couldn't have been compassion, for sure. Evil Queens didn't have compassion for anybody.

She made her way over to her king size bed as she kept on convincing herself that it was just the hormones playing tricks on her and unzipped the back of her dress with practiced fingers. She let the dress slide down off of her body until it pooled around her ankles. Then, she stepped out of it and picked it up from the floor to hang it in the wardrobe. She put on her light blue nightgown and quickly slid underneath the covers. It was an incredibly cold night and she just wanted it to be over.

Maybe a new day would bring a new beginning of some sorts.

Regina closed her eyes and sighed, allowing the darkness to claim her.

**II**

_It was dark and she could hear the rain outside, thunderbolts and lightning echoing through the halls. The only light illuminating the corridor was that of the moon since the torches were all long extinguished, a fact that could only mean that the whole Castle was fast asleep. _

_Except for her… and the person standing across the hall._

_She knew who he was, even though he was clad in a dark cloak and hiding his face underneath a golden mask. What she ignored was why he was here at all._

_He took a step forward and toward her, slowly extending his hand out to her and showing her something he had tightly clutched in his grasp. _

_From her dark end of the corridor, she could not make out the object in his hand, what forced her to advance in his direction. She knew that it was exactly what he wanted, for her close the distance between them, but she just had to see what he had in his possession because, if it was what she thought it was, then… _

_She just had to make sure it wasn't._

_She took another tentative step closer to the man and her baby began to kick at her insides frantically, matching the rhythm of the erratic beating of her heart. She knew this could lead to nowhere good but she had no choice, she had to find out. She finally came to a halt in front of him, standing as tall as the fear in her gut allowed her to. _

_He smiled that sick and twisted smile of his and brought a hand to touch her protruding belly. She fought the urge to swat his hand away because it was far too dangerous, for her and for the baby. His bony palm molded into the shape of her skin and she closed her eyes, already feeling his magic working. She could feel him making his way into her body, trying to get passed her defenses, squirming and twisting until she gave in, allowing him the entrance he sought._

"_Ah" He sighed in appreciation when his magic came in contact with what he so desperately wanted "It's so powerful, so very powerful" He twisted his hand and she took in a sharp breath "…and it shall be mine, all mine" He pulled his hand out from her belly in a fast move, evoking such a powerful wave of pain from his residual magic that her knees gave in and she hit the ground loudly with her knees. _

_She gasped for air, her arms quickly wrapping around her belly in a protective stance, as she desperately tried to recover from the sudden invasion._

_He laughed at her display of weakness and bent his knee to be at her eye level. He was so close to her face that she could feel his hot breath bathing her skin._

_When her eyes locked with his, he brought the paper he was so tightly clutching in his hand up, blocking her line of sight with it and making sure that the paper and the scribbled sign in it were all she could see._

"_You'd do well to remember it" He said and, just like that, he was gone._

_She was completely alone in the hall again, staring blankly at the place this powerful man had been kneeling on, a man who she now knew held a stronger grip on her than her mother ever did. _

**III**

Henry was looking at her mom play with her food with a frown etched upon his face. She'd been doing that ever since she sat on the table to have breakfast with him and his mom never, under any circumstance, played with her food. She hadn't said a word to him at all, not even to acknowledge his presence. He even doubted she knew he was there at all.

The boy gazed at her pensively. There was something clearly bothering her.

"Mom?"

Regina continued to stare at her plate as she traced patterns on her food with the fork, completely lost in thought.

She hadn't even heard him.

"Mom!" Henry exclaimed, more forcefully this time, breaking Regina out of her absorption.

The woman looked at him with wide eyes, as if she'd just been slapped in the face. She had been so absorbed in her thoughts that she had lost grasp of everything else going on around her.

"I'm sorry, Henry" She mumbled, still trying to get out of her self-induced haze "I was just…"

"Thinking" Her son offered, a condescending smile adorning his young face "I know"

Regina tried to force a smile onto her lips for her son's sake. The dream she'd had last night had left her completely shaken and with a weird feeling inside. These dreams that she was having… they weren't just dreams. They were a message. Something or someone was trying to warn her of something, she just wish she knew what.

"Mom?" Henry asked, tentatively.

"Yes, Henry?"

"You know you can trust me, right?"

Regina was caught off guard by the sincerity in her son's words and she smiled, truly and unrestrictedly for the first time since Emma had left again. She slid a hand across the table to grasp Henry's in hers and give it a gentle squeeze.

"I know but thank you… for saying it"

Henry beamed at her and he squeezed back.

It was some weeks since he'd noticed his mom looking sad and almost lost. He knew that, for some reason, Emma's absence was hurting her even though she'd never say it, let alone admit it to anyone. His mom always dealt with things that hurt her in silence. She was so good masking her emotions that, most times, he never even knew something was up until it was already gone and passed. That was why it was so strange for him to see her like this, with her emotions skin deep, looking like an open book.

Her eyes had always been the only part of her anatomy that could betray how she truly felt and, right now, those honey brown eyes looked so distant and sad that it was almost painful to gaze at her.

"You know?" Henry said, catching Regina's attention fully once again "If you miss her, you can always write her a message" He winked playfully at her and promptly stood up from the chair, breaking the contact of their clasped hands and exiting the room to let his mom ponder on his words for a while.

Regina watched as her son closed the door behind him, leaving her alone with just her thoughts for company.

Did she miss her?

Regina wasn't sure it was that what she felt but it was definitely _something_ and she couldn't quite put a finger on it. What she did know was that the dreams she kept having were taking their toll on her and that they had something in common: the baby. First it was a woman, now a man but they all wanted the same thing: her unborn child. If only Emma was there, at least she could discuss it with her. They could try to make out the meaning of these dreams, find out who these people were and how to stop them… if they were even real, of course. But Emma wasn't there and Regina could confide this in no one. Maybe _that_ was what she was feeling.

Her eyes traveled to the window at her right. From there, she had plain view of the Southern Mountains. They were almost tiny snowy dots in the distance but Regina knew that, on the other side of those high peaks, laid Snow White's Kingdom.

The brunette stood up and made her way to the window. She rested a hand on the cold glass and watched as the heat emanating from her skin tarnished it. She then broke away her gaze and let her instincts guide her to where she truly wanted to look upon. Her brown eyes soon landed on the snowy mountains in the distance again, and she sighed, her son's words replaying in her mind on a loop.

_You can always write her a message._

**IV**

She promised herself she would give it a thought and she had, really. She'd been thinking on writing a letter to Emma ever since that conversation with Henry one week ago but she simply hadn't got around to doing it. Her mind kept on coming up with excuses and so she continued postponing it.

She had finally found something to do with all that spare time and all it involved was some wool and needles. Regina knew her child was going to be a summer baby but that didn't stop her from sitting in her large leather chair in front of the cozy fire for hours and knit a bodysuit and the tiniest beanie she'd ever seen to match with it.

When Henry found out of her new hobby, the smile that grew on his face seemed to never end and, ever since that day, he would sit on the floor beside her and read one of his comics or place a hand on her growing belly and have the longest conversations with his unborn sibling.

Regina found it incredibly endearing and sometimes she even had to bite on her lip to stop the huge impulse to tousle his hair affectionately. She didn't think Henry would appreciate being fussed over like that, so she resolved on grinning merrily instead.

They had been both wrapped up in their activities, Regina knitting and Henry reading a comic, when Regina jumped up in her seat and dropped the needles and the halfway knitted bodysuit to the floor. Henry's head snapped up at the sudden movement and, when his eyes took in the look on her mother's face, he sprung to his feet and ran to her side.

"Mom, are you alright?" He asked, worried.

Regina focused her gaze on her son's eyes and replaced the look of surprise and confusion in her face with one of utter joy. Without saying a word, she grabbed Henry's hand and placed it over her belly, gently covering it with her own.

"Can you feel that?" She whispered, searching for any indication in her son's face that he was feeling the same as she was.

Henry's eyes widened much in the same way hers had just a moment ago and his face lit up in amazement.

"She's moving!" He exclaimed happily and Regina's eyes glassed with unshed tears upon hearing her son saying that the baby was a _she_ with as much certainty as Emma had just some weeks ago.

"Yes, she is" Regina allowed the tears that had formed in her eyes to roll freely down her cheeks as she smiled up at Henry and, at the same time, thought of Emma and their baby.

"Wait" Henry's face suddenly adopted a determined look and he snatched his hand away from her grasp "I'll be right back" He said and ran right passed her.

"Henry, where are you going?" Regina asked, turning around to look at him but, when she did, she found that he was already gone.

He returned a couple of minutes later, holding a bunch of papers and a quill in his hands. He set them unceremoniously on the coffee table in front of the fire and motioned with his hand for Regina to join him.

The brunette frowned at his son's actions but stood up and kneeled beside him nonetheless.

"What is this, Henry?" She asked as she shuffled the papers in confusion.

"Duh, mom. They're papers!" He rolled his eyes at her but smiled playfully all the same.

"I know that, Henry, but what are they doing…" Regina was trying to complete her question when Henry interrupted her.

"I want us to write something to Emma"

**V**

It had been a terrible, terrible idea especially because, ever since, she hadn't been able to get it out of her mind no matter how much she tried. She had refused to write the damn letter but Henry had insisted on them doing it together. He'd said he really missed Emma and wanted to get in touch with her. How could she say no to that?

She'd tried with all her might to keep her son and Emma Swan away from each other back in Storybrooke but, since the Charming blood ran within them, they always found a way to thwart her plans and be together. So, after all that… how could she dare coming in the way of their love? She couldn't, not anymore, and that was why she had finally agreed on sending a message to Emma.

Of course she hadn't expected her son tricking her into writing the letter all alone and now she was regretting it with all that she was.

Emma would surely laugh the life out of her when she got a hold of that damn letter.

That unlucky event had taken place nearly two weeks ago and they hadn't heard from Emma yet. Regina was silently praying that her letter had never arrived to its destination but, a small part of her, feared that something bad had happened to Emma.

Now she found herself staring out of her bedroom window in the direction of the Southern Mountains with much more frequency than she ever had before. These moments were the ones in which she wished they'd never left Storybrooke, at least they had those infernal machines with internet in there.

Even Henry had grown impatient while waiting for Emma's reply. Regina had been receiving complaints from Henry's tutors saying that the boy wasn't paying attention in his classes and, instead, spent his time drawing pictures of his blonde mother slaying Ogres and Giants alike.

The brunette feared the impact it would take on Henry if Emma never answered back.

Thankfully it was something she wouldn't have to find out… at least not for now.

"Mom!" Regina could hear Henry yelling her name as he ran across the corridor in his frantic attempt at reaching her bedroom.

The eleven year old flung the door opened and rushed to her side, all the while holding what appeared to be a letter up in the air.

"She replied! Emma replied!"

The boy handed Regina the envelope, still sealed, and watched with big excited eyes as she took it from his hands and motioned for them to sit on the edge of the bed. She looked at the back of the white envelope and saw her name there written with ink in, what appeared to be a very rushed calligraphy, but what Regina knew to be Emma Swan's real handwriting. The woman had a terrible calligraphy.

"This envelope is addressed for me" Regina said in a low voice. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her own name written there.

"Uh, yeah. Emma wrote two letters, I already have mine" Henry smiled sheepishly and then hopped off the bed "I'm gonna go so you can read yours" Regina gave him a quick nod and followed him with her eyes as he headed for the door. His hand wrapped around the door-handle but, before he stepped outside her bedchambers, he turned around and said "Master Leon told me that the raven that came with the letters had a wound on one of its wings. Pretty weird huh?"

Regina didn't reply, she just watched him go as she processed his words. It didn't really seem to be something out of the ordinary for her. Birds had a tendency to get hurt while flying long distances, even her Speaking Ravens did. She shook her head, dismissing the thought, and focused her attention back on the envelope she was now holding in her lap.

She opened it carefully and retrieved the letter from the inside. The brunette looked at the paper for a moment and then unfolded it, so that she could start reading.

_Hey,_

_Thanks for the letter you sent. I never thought you cared! (Just kidding! don't glare at the paper 'cause it's not me, y'know?). _

_The campaign is doing well. Snow and I are doing our best to keep the Giants at bay for now while David's army fights the Ogres from the rearguard. We're still not sure of why is it that they are attacking the Kingdom but Snow thinks there could be someone else behind the attacks. Do you have any idea of who it could be?_

_OMG Regina, did she really move?! Isn't it like a little soon for that? Henry started moving around the fifth month or so and boy, the first time he kicked I thought I had a football match going on inside my stomach! The kid kicked like a pro._

_I really wish I could go back home but Snow says that until your army learns to take commands from her she's gonna need me to boss them around. _

_You? knitting? Please, must be the end of the world coming! Y'know? Since you're playing the housewife for a while, why don't you knit me a beanie? I left all the ones I had back in Storybrooke and geez it freezes in here! Pleeeeease?_

_Snow is rallying the troops for a surprise attack. I offered to lead the advanced party to survey the terrain and assess the enemy first. If everything goes well, then the war could be over sooner than what we expected. So cross your fingers? (Don't roll your eyes, I'm being serious)._

_Take care of Henry and the baby… and yourself._

_Emma _

Regina huffed. The woman could be so infuriating sometimes! She was fighting a war and thinking of beanies. God.

The brunette got on her feet again and made her way over to her study, which was five rooms down the hall. Once she was inside, she fetched a paper from one of her drawers and sat on her chair. She dipped the quill in ink and began to write her reply.

_Miss Swan,_

_I am glad to hear that you are faring well and that you're still in one piece, however surprising that may be. _

_Actually, you'd be delighted to hear that __**your**__ son tricked me into writing the letter in the first place. I suppose he inherited those conniving skills from you._

_I must confess that, despite all the possible enemies that your mother might have plotting against her, no name has come to my notice. As we both know, the clans of giants and ogres used to respond to me so my guess is that it should be someone that knows me. Else, he or she wouldn't be able to command them, just like your dear mother can't control my army (and won't, unless I instruct them to). I promise to keep on thinking about it, maybe something else will come up._

_Miss Swan, I am pretty certain I can tell if my child is moving or not and yes, she moved. She has been moving ever since that day, sometimes sporadically, some others under specific circumstances. She seems to be akin to my own emotions and reacts to them by moving around._

_For your information I am not playing the housewife, I am merely doing something productive with my time and no, I will not knit you a beanie. I am actually glad you forgot all those ridiculous hats in Storybrooke and I have no intention of providing you with one if I can help it. My weaving skills are exclusively for our children._

_I will not cross my fingers, it's immature. However, I do wish you good luck with your task and that you can soon return to the Castle. _

_Henry misses you._

_R._

The woman folded the paper and sealed it closed before placing it in an envelope and heading over to the tower where Master Leon kept their trained pigeons and ravens. Once she was there, she handed him the letter and watched as the old man attached it to one of her raven's legs and then set it free. The raven croaked and spread its wings, ready to fly in the direction of Snow White's Kingdom.

The brunette contemplated in silence as the bird quickly turned into a tiny black dot in the distance and then made her way back to her bedchambers.

**VI**

Regina was sitting in the Throne Room, listening to a peasant complain about her lack of food for this year's winter and all the children she had to feed. Had she still been the Evil Queen she would have thrown the annoying woman in her dungeons just for the sake of her own amusement but now she found herself calling for Rosalie and instructing her to provide the petite woman with enough supplies to last until spring came.

Rosalie smiled knowingly at her and then asked the woman to follow her to the kitchens.

The next man who entered the premises was one Regina knew all too well but didn't think he'd ever dare to step under her roof while he was still breathing. The bold man was dressed as a farmer now but he still had that arrogant look in his eyes that gave him away. He hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Your Highness" He kneeled in front of her and bowed his head but not his eyes, those perturbing blue orbs locked with hers defiantly.

"It's _Regent_ for you, Victor"

The former rose to his feet, ignoring the fact that he hadn't been permitted to do so just yet and smiled deviously at her.

"Oh, Regina. I think we both know some habits are harder to let go than others" His eyes twinkled mockingly.

"Yes, like your little experiments to bring back the dead. How's your brother doing these days anyway? Still a monster or did you finally put him out of his misery?" She spat, watching in delight as Whale turned a furious shade of red in front of her.

He took a step forward in her direction, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. He clearly wanted to rip off her head but two soldiers quickly stepped in front of her, blocking Whale's advances.

"Impressive, Your Majesty" He said, feigning surprise at the sight of the two soldiers protecting her "You still seem to manage to evoke loyalty in some poor souls. I pity them, really. They don't know just who it is that they are shielding with their lives"

"What do you want, Whale?" She asked, no longer caring for the dread that was so clearly seeping into her words.

"My, my… patience was never your strong suit, Regina" Whale smiled again "Let's say that I've been hearing an interesting gossip lately and I just wanted to see it for myself"

Regina's eyebrows rose as she tried to mask away the sudden spark of curiosity rising in her.

"And what gossip would that be?"

"That you're pregnant…" Whale's words seemed to echo in the room and Regina's heart began to flutter in her chest. How did he know? Who _else_ knew? "…with the Savior's child"

She suddenly felt all eyes on her, from the townsfolk, from the soldiers, from servants and Council Members alike. They were waiting for her to deny Whale's words, to call him a liar and restrain him but her silence was speaking louder than words. She was just thrown aback and she was feeling smaller and more fragile in that chair than she'd ever felt as a young girl.

Regina knew she had to say something, anything. Else she was certain that hell would be breaking havoc in just a matter of minutes. She tried to speak but her mouth opened and closed without any sound coming forth. She wasn't prepared for this. Admitting her pregnancy could result in her imminent death and, denying it… well, it could very well lead to the same path. She was at a crossroad now.

From out of the corner of her eye she spotted Whale's proud smirk and that was what did it for her. Regina stood up as tall as she could in her throne and readied herself to address all those present. She brought her hands up in the air to quiet the small murmurs taking place and opened her mouth to speak. It was now or never.

Suddenly, the double door of the Throne Room was pushed opened with brute force and the Head of the Citadel Guard came rushing in, a parchment firmly clutched in his hands.

_Déjà vu_.

"My Regent! My Regent!" The man staggered forward, clearly exhausted and visibly out of breath "News from Snow White's Kingdom" He handed her the parchment and then slumped to the ground unceremoniously as he tried to recover.

Regina stared at the paper she was now holding in one hand and, with the other, signaled for her personal guards to dismiss the people inside the Throne Room. The two soldiers took the hint immediately and began to herd the people out of the premises.

When the room was cleared she let herself fall back on the chair and tore the parchment open.

_Regina,_

_We've been ambushed. Somehow, someone knew of our plans. The Giants were expecting us. The advanced party didn't stand a chance. _

_Emma's severely wounded. _

_You need to come, Regina, I fear she doesn't have much time._


	4. Checkmate

"Where is she?"

All five heads turned to the sound of her voice. She ignored their looks of utter disbelief and shock upon seeing her inside their tent and at the sight of her now noticeable pregnancy, and strode further into the place.

The tent was big enough for at least twenty people to fit it nicely but it was mostly empty, aside from a wooden table in the middle of the room and the people inside.

She let her eyes wander through the different faces in the tent, but she only recognized two. The other three were probably Sergeants and Commanders, for she had never set eyes on them before.

"Regina" Snow whispered, eyes wide as plates as she took in the sight of her.

Charming was quick to step in front of his wife in a protective stance, to mark a clear distance between the women. He didn't draw his sword but he did glare at her for a long moment before opening his mouth to speak.

"We weren't expecting you so soon"

Regina cocked her head, trying to suppress a smirk. She couldn't believe that, after all they had gone though at her mercy, they still dared to underestimate her.

"Yes, well. What can I say?" Regina broke her gaze away from the Charmings to circle them slowly as she cast a look around. Her attention flew to the maps sprawled over the big wooden table and she walked over to stand in front of it. The next thing she noticed was the tiny chess pieces that represented each of their armies. Snow's were whites, Charming's reds and Emma's… Regina picked up a black pawn from the table with slight trembling hands and closed her fingers around it, absentmindedly bringing it close to her chest "I may no longer be the Evil Queen but I still do have some cards under my sleeve" She closed her eyes for a moment as she thought of the black pawn firmly clutched in her hand. It didn't escape her just how ironic it was to use chess pieces to represent real people in a battlefield, even less the fact that the tiny pawn she was holding against her chest could very much be Emma Swan. Regina opened her eyes again and set the black pawn back on its place next to the black queen piece. Then, she spun around to face Snow White and her husband "So, where is she?"

**II**

Snow pointed with her head to the space inside the tent as she held the door opened for her to step through. Regina ducked her head and walked inside with small, tentative steps.

The first thing she noticed about the place was the lack of light and the thickness in the air. The atmosphere was so still and so tense at the same time that she felt it could be cut with a knife.

The tent was practically devoid of any objects, much like the one she had been in before. The only two things inside were a large wicker chair and a bed.

Then, Regina's eyes fixated on the person lying peacefully over the mattress.

_Emma_.

She noticed that the blonde's body was only covered by a thin white sheet and that the rest of the heat keeping her body warm was coming from a small fire right at the corner of the room. Regina didn't even need to take a step closer to realize just how much in bad shape the woman was. There were bandages covering her midsection and forehead, a sling in her left arm and she had her right foot immobilized. She didn't know just how deep or serious Emma's wounds were but, just by looking, she could see their extent.

Regina spun around on her heels to face Snow White. The petite woman was still standing under the threshold and had her eyes trained on her daughter's figure. The look of pure devastation was evident in Snow's eyes and, had the situation been any different, Regina would have reveled at the sight.

"What happened to her?" Regina asked, her eyes boring intently into the other woman's.

Snow tore her pained blue eyes away from Emma's body to look at her once stepmother. She sighed and then concentrated on the memory of the event that had led them all to this moment, in this place.

"We were preparing a surprise attack on the Giants. The plan was to attack with James' army from the rearguard and with mine from the front, so as to trap them in the middle, but first we needed to assess the enemy. Giants… they are unpredictable and so we needed to take as many precautions as possible. They already outnumbered us, it would have been terrible to screw this opportunity at dividing their forces" Snow paused for a second, trying to get her bearings before she continued "Emma offered herself to lead the advanced party. It was supposed to be quick, she'd go with ten men or so, take a look at the terrain, find the best route for my army to move undetected and come back…" Snow trailed off as her eyes fell to the ground. If she was feeling shame or pain, Regina could not tell "…but things didn't go as we planned"

Regina's head turned to the woman lying unconscious on the bed. She seemed to be so peaceful, with her features relaxed and unguarded.

"They were expecting you" Regina offered, not taking her eyes away from the sleeping figure.

"Yes" Snow hissed, anger seeping into her words "Emma's party didn't stand a chance. They were so many…" A sob escaped the woman's throat and she found she couldn't continue any further. Images of Emma lying almost dead on the ground, bloodied and bruised, were too much for her to bear.

Regina ignored Snow's breaking sobs and began to walk over to the bed and to the woman barely alive resting on it. Her eyes took in the battered and bruised figure of the once imposing and brave White Knight and her brows knitted together in an emotion she couldn't quite name. Now that she was closer to Emma she could make out more of the damage that was done to her. There was a deep gash on her temple and her lower lip was split open and swollen. Her neck had faint red marks, as if someone had tried to strangle her. There also were bruises all over her chest and down her torso. The arm in the sling was also bandaged in the shoulder, a detail that had missed Regina's eyes in her first examination, but that was now fairly visible. Blood was oozing from the still open wound, which could only mean that it was time to change the bandages for clean ones.

Regina's eyes continued to assess the woman in front of her but, the more she looked, the more she realized she didn't want to see. There was just too much damage done to her. It was like every bit of Emma's skin was either bruised, broken or cut, and that was only superficial. Regina didn't even want to know what the internal damage was.

"She took quite the beating" Snow whispered beside her. How she'd crossed the room without her noticing, Regina didn't have the slightest idea. She must have been too absorbed trying to make out every single one of Emma's injuries that she didn't notice the smaller woman walk up to her "Her left arm is broken and her shoulder was pierced by an arrow"

"I wasn't aware that the Giants had developed the skill to practice archery"

"Who says it was the Giants who did this to her?" Snow asked, creating more and more doubts in Regina's head. If it wasn't the Giants who had done this to Emma and her party… then who had? "The head of the arrow didn't come all the way to the other side so Doc had to push until…" Snow shook her head, compelling those taunting images from rising in her mind, and then continued with something else "Her right foot is sprained, so we had to immobilize it to stop her from causing further damage to it in case she moved in her sleep. She took a nasty blow to the head, or so we were told, but David fears she hit herself with a rock or something hard when she lost consciousness and fell to the ground. That's why she has that bandage covering her head round" Snow pointed to the cloth tied to Emma's forehead "But what worries us most are the wounds in her torso and stomach" Snow closed her eyes and continued talking "A sword" Was all the woman managed to add through gritted teeth.

So, that confirmed it. Whoever it was that had attacked the advanced party that Emma was leading, it wasn't the Giants. It was people, soldiers. Possibly more trained and in bigger number than Emma's scouting group had been.

_Slaughter_, was the only word that came to her mind.

"Doc says it's a miracle she's still breathing" Snow whispered, kneeling in front of her daughter's sleeping body and trailing a hand through her blonde locks.

Regina took a moment to gaze upon mother and daughter. It was, possibly, one of the most heartbreaking scenes she'd contemplated. The woman looked so torn and utterly broken… it was confusing and frustrating even. She'd wished for Snow White's pain so much, she's dedicated her entire life to her suffering. She'd wanted to see this very same look plastered on her delicate features since she could remember and yet… Regina found that it wasn't satisfying; that it didn't fill the emptiness that lived within her… not when the reason for Snow White's suffering was Emma… her savior… the mother of her unborn child.

"Can I have a moment with her?" Regina asked tentatively, for the first time in her life really wanting Snow White's permission.

The brunette felt rather than saw the petite woman nod her head but she stayed there, kneeling before her daughter, running her fingers through her hair.

"Alone?"

Snow's head turned to look at her; bloodshot eyes found honey brown and locked for a moment. Then, the younger woman stood up on quivering legs and walked out of the tent, leaving only Emma and Regina inside.

**III**

_She'd been plucking apples from her tree and taking her sweet time doing so because, in truth, she was avoiding going back to the castle. For the past three days, Regina had managed to stay out of the annoying woman's way just fine. Though, they had come face to face once or twice but still she'd come up with whatever excuse to get away from the blonde as fast as she could. Regina knew that Emma was looking for her… hell, she'd been looking for her since that damn night and it was only a matter of time before Emma cornered her but, for now, she'd enjoy her moment of solitude._

_It didn't last much._

"_How long are you going to avoid me, Regina?"_

_The brunette sighed. Emma had found her and now she would have to face her, no matter how much she was dreading the conversation that would ensue._

"_I am not avoiding you, dear. I'm collecting apples" Regina offered her a fake smile and a very tasty looking apple._

_Emma took none._

"_Right. Look, I don't like this any more than you do but I think we have to talk about it" Emma pressed, taking a closer step to Regina to stress her point "Regina, what happened in that cave…"_

_Regina straightened herself "Nothing happened in that cave, dear" She smirked, enjoying the way her denial affected Emma._

"_Cut the crap, Regina!" Emma kicked the ground with her foot in frustration "What we did… it's not going to disappear just because we pretend otherwise!" The blonde's eyes bore into hers. There was fire brimming in them and Regina recognized it for what it was: sheer determination. The woman was not going to back down until she had her answers. So she might as well give them to her and put an end to this torture._

"_Fine" Regina said through gritted teeth "You want to talk? Then, talk"_

_Emma sighed. This wasn't going anywhere. She didn't know why the woman was denying it so much. If she found the mere thought of having sex with her for just one night so disgusting as to pretend it never had happened, then so be it, but at least she wanted to hear her say it first. She deserved as much._

"_I… what we did…" Emma faltered. She'd been trying to have this conversation with Regina since the incident with the storm and the cave… that had been three days ago, and now that she had finally got the woman to listen to her, Emma found she was at a loss for words "It was… it was a pretty big deal. I mean… it's not something you usually do with your son's other mother and I guess I just wanted to know… since we live together and all… I wouldn't want… I mean"_

"_It meant nothing to me" Regina interrupted her._

_Emma's head snapped up to look intently into the brunette's eyes. Her eyebrows were knitted together in shock. She wasn't expecting such coldness from the other woman._

"_What?"_

"_What you heard, dear. It meant nothing to me; it was just sex… the result of a powerful enchantment taking place near us. So, you can relax and go back to doing… whatever it is you do with your time. You don't need to worry about me" Regina tossed the apple she'd last plucked from the tree in her basket and walked back to the castle, leaving a very troubled looking Emma behind._

_Emma stared at the back of the retreating woman as she climbed the black ivory rungs to the front gates of the castle._

"_But I __**do**__ worry about you" _

**IV**

Regina sat heavily on the wicker chair by the bed and sighed. She was tired, it had been a long journey and one she had been advised not to make. Not that she'd paid any attention. She didn't need anyone telling her what to do, that had never turned out well for her.

Her eyes traveled to the woman lying unconscious on the mattress. Snow wasn't exaggerating when she'd sent that letter to her about a week ago, Emma really was severely wounded. Actually, Regina couldn't find a single spot in the blonde's body that wasn't somewhat injured. Regina noticed that Emma's shoulder was still bleeding through the bandage. She tore her eyes away from the other woman and cast a look around. There, on top of a small table that had escaped her notice before she found what she was looking for: clean bandages and a jar with a green salve inside.

Regina walked over to the table and picked up the bandages and jar, before she returned to her place by the bed. She set the items aside and then focused on removing the blood soaked cloth wrapped around Emma's left shoulder. When she finished, she tossed the dirty bandage to the floor and then grabbed both the clean one and the jar with the salve. She poured some of the green thick ointment onto the cloth and began to clean the wound with as much delicacy as she could muster. When the blood stopped oozing somewhat, Regina wrapped the bandage around Emma's shoulder again and made a tight knot on the ends so as to secure it in place. Once she was done, she contemplated her handiwork approvingly and then slumped back in the chair.

She was exhausted. Maybe all those busybodies from the Council were right in advising her not to make the trip. Regina shook her head, there would be time to rest but, right now, it would have to wait.

Once more her eyes went to Emma's frail looking body and she realized that, the more she looked, the more serious her injuries seemed to become. Regina bit her lower lip absentmindedly as she tried to fight her whirling emotions. This shouldn't have happened. Emma shouldn't be in her dying bed, she should be running around the place wearing that ridiculous red leather jacket of hers and making stupid jokes to light up everybody's mood.

As if on cue, the baby kicked and Regina snapped out of her reverie to caress her round belly in a soothing manner.

"It's ok" Regina whispered to her belly "Your mother will be ok"

There was a grunt and a slight movement, followed by a hiss of pain. Regina's head snapped up from her belly to look at the source of the noise and her eyes widened in surprise to find the blonde stirring.

She scooted closer to the bed and, without thinking, slipped her hand into Emma's.

"Re-Regina?" The injured woman blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the room.

"Yes, it's me" Regina squeezed Emma's hand to show the blonde that it was really her.

Emma's green eyes finally locked with honey brown and a lopsided smile made its way to the blonde's features. She felt the warmth of Regina's hand in her cold and clammy one and she squeezed back.

Suddenly, a wave of pain swept through her and Emma grimaced.

Regina was quick to place her free hand on top of the blonde's right shoulder and offered her a few tender caresses. When the pain eased somewhat, Emma sighed with her eyes closed.

"Wow, I feel like crap" She growled, trying not to bite her lip as she suddenly became aware of all the injuries that her body had suffered.

Regina chuckled and Emma lifted her head to look at the brunette. She realized that she had never seen or heard Regina's laughter before. It was, possibly, the most melodic and beautiful sound she'd ever heard in her life.

As Emma gazed at the woman before her, her eyes traveled slightly downwards and stopped when having noticed the woman's now very visible pregnancy. She couldn't stop her hand from crossing the distance between their bodies and landing tenderly over the brunette's round stomach.

Regina's laughter subsided when Emma's palm settled on her belly and their eyes locked. They stared at each other for a long moment, any traces of jubilance now gone. It was as if they were having a silent conversation and neither of them dared to be the one saying the first word.

As she looked intently at the brunette, Emma noticed dark rings under her honey brown eyes. Come to think of it, the woman looked exhausted. Emma frowned and broke the silence "You look tired, Regina" She said in a low, raspy voice as she caressed the woman's belly with her hand "You need to rest"

Regina broke away from their gaze to look at the random patterns that the blonde was now tracing with her fingers. It was such a simple yet deep gesture that she found herself caught in the moment until she heard Emma speak again.

"I didn't think you would come" Emma whispered and waited until Regina's eyes found hers again "Regina, why are you here?" The blonde asked tentatively as something akin to insecurity clouded her features. The hand that she was using to stroke Regina's belly made its way up, intending on cupping the brunette's cheek, but the stretching of her muscles caused Emma to wince in pain and slightly retrieve her hand. Regina caught it before the blonde could pull away completely and slowly helped her hand make its way back up, Emma's knuckles now pressing against the woman's cheek and her hand tenderly held by the brunette.

"Because I worry about you too"

**V**

Snow made her way into the tent with carefully measured steps and with her eyes trained to the tray of food she was carrying.

"I thought you might be hungry" She said without lifting her eyes from the tray as she stepped further into the room.

When she received no answer, Snow looked up from the food, and she nearly gasped at the sight that met her. Both women were sleeping soundly, Emma lying on the bed and Regina with her back resting against the material of the chair but that was not what troubled her. It was the fact that her daughter's hand was resting on top of Regina's knee and that the other woman had her own hand covering Emma's.

"What the…" Snow set the tray on the now vacant small table and made her way over to the brunette.

She grabbed the woman's arm and shook her a little more forcefully than she would have normally done and waited until brown eyes fluttered open.

"Snow?" Regina's voice was rough and thick with sleep. Confusion marred the woman's face; she was clearly not expecting her to be the first face she saw after waking up.

"Follow me" Snow voice left little room for argument and, for a moment, it would have appeared that the younger woman had forgotten that she was addressing the former Evil Queen.

Regina watched the petite woman exit the tent with a frown. Since when did Snow White dare bossing **her** around? She sighed tiredly and, when she moved to stand, she noticed that she was holding Emma's hand. Regina smiled briefly at the sight of their joint hands and promptly stood up, ignoring her sore muscles as she followed after Snow White.

She found the woman with her back resting against a tree trunk. She had her eyes closed, as if she was meditating. Regina approached her slowly but doing as much noise as she could. It was only when she came to a halt in front of the other woman that Snow opened her eyes to look at her.

"She kept calling your name" Snow said in a firm voice. Whatever words came from her mouth from now on, Regina knew they had been premeditated.

"Is that why you sent for me?"

Snow nodded dimly with her head "Partially, yes"

The air around them was so tense and not just because of their old rivalry, there was something weighting on the younger woman's mind that Regina couldn't quite grasp but she had a feeling it had to do with she and Emma.

"When David and a few dwarves brought her in she was delirious from fever and all the blood loss. I tried to reach her, calm her down… let her know that her parents were there with her…" Snow's eyes filled with tears and she took in a sharp breath of air "…but all she kept repeating was the same word" Blue glassy eyes found honey brown "your name, Regina. She just kept calling your name" Snow's sobs finally overtook her and she had to step away from a moment to get herself together again.

The admission left Regina feeling as if she'd been abruptly slapped in the face. Her eyes were wide as plates and her mouth slightly agape. Snow's words replayed in the back of her mind over and over again but she was unable to understand. Why would Emma's only word be her name? She'd never felt so utterly confused and devastated in her life before. That woman, lying barely alive in that bed was her nemesis' daughter, everything she should despise and hate. She was the person who had bumped into Storybrooke and gained her son's love and trust so easily when she had been trying for years on end. She was the Savior who broke her curse, the curse she had cast on this land and all these people to finally get her happy ending. But she was also the same person who had saved her countless times both in Storybrooke and here, in Fairytale Land. She was the woman who had voluntarily offered to live with her in her former Castle so that neither of them had to be without their shared son. She was the person who so stupidly put herself in harm's way again and again just to rescue her, and she was also the woman who had created life within her.

Snow finally turned to her again with red brimmed eyes and a fierce look on her face. She had balled her hands into fists and, if Regina didn't know her any better, she'd say that the brunette was fighting back the urge to hit her square in the face.

"She's dying, Regina" Snow spat, glaring at her as if she'd been the one attacking Emma in the battlefield "Doc says that her wounds are beyond healing, that there's nothing human medicine can do to save her but…"

"But magic can" Regina interrupted her. Of course magic could, that was the reason why Snow had summoned her in the first place. She wanted her to perform magic in order to save her precious daughter.

Snow took a step forward and cupped both her hands in hers. Regina's eyes lifted to meet those sparkling blues of her lifetime's nemesis "Magic is the only chance she has. Please, Regina" Snow implored "You have to save her"

Regina snatched her hands from Snow's hold abruptly and openly glared at her, tears forming in her eyes but refusing to fall down her cheeks.

"Do you have _any_ idea of what you're asking me to do, Snow?" Regina's nostrils flared "I haven't used magic for nearly _two_ years!" She yelled "You are asking me to break the promise I made to my son and to mess with magic so powerful that it could end up, not only killing Emma, but me and the baby as well. So, do you _know_ what you're asking of me, Snow?"

The younger woman straightened herself, trying to seem unaffected by Regina's words.

"Yes. I do" She said, her voice sounding confident and purposeful even though she was feeling like a quivering mess "I am asking you to save the person who has always got your back. Emma has saved you more times than I can count, Regina" Snow bore her eyes into the other woman's "Maybe it's time you save _her_ for a change"

**VI**

Regina let out a shaky breath and resumed pacing. She was feeling like a nervous wreck, something she could not say she had experienced in her life many times before. She knew what she had to do but the consequences of her actions could be disastrous. She was about to make one crucial move that could alter the game completely.

"Your mother is right" Regina said out loud to the unconscious figure of Emma Swan "For once, anyway" She ran a hand through her hair and halted her steps to kneel before the bed and the woman sleeping soundly on it "You saved me so many times along these past two years, Emma" Regina covered the blonde's cold hand with hers "Maybe this is my chance to get even with you"

The tent's door was suddenly lifted open and two people slipped inside. Regina let go of Emma's hand quickly and turned her face to look at Charming and Snow White walking up to her.

"Regina, are you ready?" David asked with a serious expression etched upon his face.

The brunette sighed and rubbed her palms along the length of her leather pants nervously. She wasn't sure how ready she was but there was simply no more room for doubts.

"Yes" She answered, somehow managing to sound confident.

"Ok, so what do we do now?" Snow was clearly as restless Regina was, though she wasn't as good at hiding it.

Regina ignored Snow's question and walked closer to Charming "I will need your dagger, David"

"Of course" He answered quickly, fumbling with his hands to unsheathe his dagger and hand it over to her.

Apparently, all three of them were terribly nervous.

"No! You're not getting anywhere near my daughter with a dagger, Regina" Snow said firmly, gripping her husband's wrist and stopping him from handing the weapon to the brunette.

Regina rolled her eyes and huffed. There was no time for Snow's mistrustfulness.

David seemed to realize that too because he turned to his wife and grabbed her by the shoulders "Snow, Regina is trying to _save_ Emma, Remember?" He asked, trying to talk some sense into her.

"Right" Snow shook her head as if she was trying to shake that idea out of her mind "I'm sorry"

"It's fine, dear" Regina cut in and turned to address Charming again "Now, David… your dagger, please" She outstretched her hand impatiently, waiting for him to hand her the weapon.

David fumbled with the scabbard for a second and then placed the dagger in Regina's palm "What do you need it for, though?" He asked as he watched her walk over to the bed again.

"For the spell to work I'll need to transfer part of my life-force to Emma and, for that, I'll need to create a physical link between us" Regina placed the edge of the dagger on her palm and slid it slowly across the skin, slicing it open and causing blood to ooze from the wound "Her blood laced with mine will be that link" She whispered as she repeated the same process with Emma's right hand. When blood started to ooze from the blonde's palm, Regina clasped their hands together, uniting them and mixing their blood as one. Without turning her eyes from the sleeping woman, she said "Whatever happens, _don't_ pull us apart"

"We won't" David promised solemnly and Snow nodded her head beside him.

"Please, Regina. Save her" She pleaded once last time before Regina closed her eyes and began to cast the powerful spell that would cure Emma's wounds.

Almost instantly, magic seemed to flow from out of Regina's body and travel all the way into Emma's bloodstream through their linked hands. Snow's eyes widened with renewed hope as she watched her daughter's bruises begin to slowly fade. It was a sight to behold, really. Regina's magic was almost tangible in the air, it was so potent and powerful that both David and Snow could almost feel it tickling their skin.

Slowly, Regina's magic began to heal Emma's cuts in her skin, turning the angry looking wounds into seemingly old faded white scars.

Even though Regina was beginning to pant heavily and slightly tremble, that didn't stop her, she had a long way ahead still if she wanted to fully heal Emma. She concentrated into pouring every ounce of energy from her body through the link she had created between Emma's body and hers, feeling how it was rapidly being drawn from her.

Suddenly, Regina furrowed her brows and suppressed the urge to break the contact with Emma's hand. Something had shifted dramatically in their connection… it was magic, more magic, and it wasn't hers. The brunette first thought that it was Emma's magic acting out like a self defense mechanism, that her body was recognizing the energy that Regina was offering it and demanding more and more from her, but she quickly dismissed the thought. This unknown magic was countering her own spell, it was sucking the life out of her so that, instead of flowing into Emma's body, it was being diverted to someplace else, possibly absorbed by whoever was casting the spell. She also had the feeling that this unknown sorcerer was drawing the life-force out of Emma's body too and that, for some reason, terrified her even more than the knowledge of losing her own life.

So now Regina was losing her life-force at a vertiginous speed and fear was gnawing in her gut. She could hardly think straight, let alone trying to block out magic as powerful as this. The only thing she could do was trying to break the connection she had with Emma but, when she tried, she found that this intruder's magic was binding she and Emma together. Regina was helpless. There was nothing she could do to stop the unknown person's magic or her own. The only thing she could do was to try and hang on for as long as her body was able to resist and to try and send whatever energy left in her to Emma.

Regina could literally feel her bodily functions begin to slower and shut down. Her life was abandoning her and being sucked mercilessly by an unexpected source of magic. It wasn't supposed to go down this way. She'd been conscious that she could end up dying in order to save Emma and she had decided to take that risk. After all, Emma had put herself in harm's way once too many times for her so as to refuse doing it for her now, but she had still hoped it wouldn't come to this and let alone at the mercy of a foe whose face she could not see, whose identity she would never know.

Her heart started to beat slower and her blood stopped flowing through her veins. She opened her mouth and tried to draw air into her lungs desperately but it just wasn't enough.

As she gasped for air, Regina thought she heard Snow scream her name but she might have imagined it.

Suddenly, there was a burst of purple magic exploding from their joint hands that blinded Snow's and David's eyes and turned the whole tent alight. When the magic dissipated enough, they opened their eyes and watched in horror as Regina lied with half her body on top of Emma's midsection, seemingly having lost consciousness. Their hands weren't clasped together anymore, but their fingertips were still grazing.

"What happened?!" Snow yelled as she tried to adjust her eyes to the purple smoke that was still floating in the air.

"I don't know" David ran up to Emma's side of the bed and pressed two fingers to the underside of her wrist to try and feel her pulse.

"Is Emma…?" Snow asked, covering her mouth in both horror and hope. David looked up from his daughter's still body to meet his wife's tear-filled eyes and shook his head once "Gods… no" Snow sobbed as tears began to run free down her cheeks "And… and Regina?" She asked, her voice breaking inevitably from the anguish she was feeling.

David pressed his fingers on Regina's neck and let his head drop, defeated.

"She's dead" He allowed his own tears to spring from his eyes "They both are"

**VII**

It was well past midnight and just a few soldiers remained awake, guarding their posts but hovering as close to the fire as they could. They were talking and laughing at some joke as they rubbed their limbs to keep themselves warm in the cold night.

A dark hooded figure appeared from out of a large tree and silently slipped passed the tents and guards, almost gracefully and undetected. The intruder made his way slowly into the main tent, which was plunged into darkness and empty, and walked over to the large wooden table.

The hooded figure traced his fingertips along the right side of the map, which was still sprawled over the table, and only halted when his hand bumped deliberately into two chess pieces that were slightly separated from the rest. He continued to trace his fingertips along the sides of the black queen piece instead, almost tenderly, as if he was caressing an old and dear friend but then he abruptly removed his fingers from the chess piece as if it had burnt his skin.

He kept his hand balled into a fist for a long moment and then outstretched his hand again to place his index finger on top of the black pawn next to the queen. He kept his finger still for a long second and then pushed the piece forward, until it tumbled over the map.

His eyes twinkled maliciously at the sight of the fallen pawn. Then, he turned his attention back to the black queen piece and did the same as he had done to the black pawn. He set his index finger on top of the small chess piece and pushed forward until the piece fell and collided against the map sprawled underneath it.

The dark intruder contemplated the two fallen chess pieces lying side by side over the map. It had been so easy, almost too easy. Get to know your enemy, learn his weaknesses and predict his next move. It was as simple as a game of chess.

The hooded figure smirked and basked in the sight of the black pawn and black queen having been defeated so effortlessly. Then, he turned around and retraced his steps to exit the tent. When he was outside again, he cast one last look at the tent and whispered "_Checkmate"_.


	5. Deal

**I**

She quickly finished lacing the front of her coat and hung a small leather pouch over her shoulder. As quietly as she had dressed under the darkness of the room, she tiptoed her way to the door and was about to step outside into the cold night when a familiar voice stopped her abruptly in mid-track.

"Snow?" Charming's voice was thick and rough with sleep "What are you doing?" He came to a sitting position in the bed and blinked a few times to adjust his eyes to the darkness.

Snow was standing by the door of the tent, holding the fabric up with one hand. She was dressed with thick animal furs, white leather pants and high boots.

"I'm going to find him" She gave her husband a very resolute glance and turned around on her heels to head outside.

"What? No!" Charming jolted up from the bed and rushed to his wife's side to stop her from leaving "Snow, look at me" He grabbed her by the arm when she refused to meet his eyes and forced her to turn around so that they were face to face "I know it hurts… but they are _gone_. We have to accept that they are not coming back" He whispered, trying to stop the hurt from seeping into his words.

Snow struggled in his grasp, trying to break free "No, I can't" She refused to accept the fact that Emma was gone forever. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes, threatening to stream down her face. She shook her head and yanked her arm away from her husband's grip "Don't ask me to give up on my daughter, Charming, because it's not going to happen… _ever_" She shot him an angry glare, filled with pain and anger. Nothing that had happened in the past two weeks made any sense to her and she just couldn't accept it, she _wouldn't_ accept it. Snow brushed past him and motioned for the exit but she was stopped dead by her husband's words again.

"We have no business with him, Snow. Don't do this" He pleaded to her back.

Snow spun around to face him once more, tears were falling freely from her eyes now and she was clutching at the leather pouch that hung over her shoulder as if for dear life.

"I have to!" She cried, taking an involuntary step forward and closer to her husband "Nothing would have happened if I hadn't forced Regina to do that spell" She whispered in a barely audible voice.

Charming automatically spread his arms for her and Snow didn't hesitate in taking another step forward, crashing him into a fierce embrace. She instinctively buried her face in the crook of his neck and dug her fingers in his shoulder blades as her sobs began to shake her entire body.

"This is not your fault, Snow" Charming ran a hand through her short locks soothingly as he used the other one to keep her pressed tightly to his chest.

"Yes" She sobbed, her breath hot and wet against his neck "Yes, it is" Snow slowly disentangled herself from his hold and took some steps back, with a horrified expression "and now I have to fix it" She looked at him sternly and ran from the tent, without giving him another chance to try and stop her.

**II**

"Rumpelstiltskin" Snow walked with tentative steps toward the cell that was keeping the Dark One locked up inside.

When they came back to this world, they had decided on ways to punish those who had wrong them. Among those who Snow and Charming, along with the rest of the citizens of Storybrook, had found guilty were the former and Mayor. Unfortunately for Gold, he didn't have the Saviour willing to defend him as did Regina and, since he was currently more of a threat than the brunette, both she and Charming had seen fit to lock him up in the same cell that had kept him prisoner for many years in the past.

"How nice of you to pay me a visit, _dearie_" Came Rumpelstiltskin's mocking voice from the back of the cell.

He was sitting at the far end of his prison, plunged into darkness. From where she was standing, Snow could barely make out the shape of his silhouette so she moved closer to stand in front of the prison bars, a torch firmly held in her right hand.

"I did not come here for pleasantries, Rumpelstiltskin, so don't waste my time"

"A little on edge, aren't we?" He teased, finally seeming to take an interest in her. Rumpelstiltskin abandoned his place at the end of the cell and slowly made his approach toward her, like a panther circling his prey "Oh, yes. I know why you're here" He gripped the prison bars with his green scaled fingers and poked his chin through them "You're here for your precious little Saviour, aren't you?" He asked, a sneer appearing in his face.

Snow lifted her chin defiantly and crossed the short distance separating her from the bars. Then, she leveled her face to Rumpelstiltskin's and smirked knowing that, for once, she had the upper hand and that, no matter how much the imprisoned creature knew about the outside world, he could never expect what she was about to say.

"I want to strike a deal with you"

**III**

Regina opened her eyes slowly and had to blink a few times for her vision to adjust to the dim light of the room. There was a blurry shape dangling above her and she couldn't, for the life of her, make out what it was. She raised a hand to touch it but it was caught in mid air by callused fingers and brought upwards to rest softly against chapped lips.

"Hey, are you alright?" Regina could swear it was Emma's voice she'd heard but it couldn't be. Could it? She blinked her confusion away and promptly sat up on the bed "What are you doing?" Her hands traveled frenetically over the body in front of her, searching for injuries, anything that could indicate that she was dreaming, or worse "Regina… Regina" Emma grabbed her by the elbows, immobilizing her completely "I'm _fine_, really" Green orbs met honey brown and locked for a long moment.

Regina let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding and slumped back on the mattress. Emma could clearly see that realization was catching up with the brunette so she let go of her and rewarded her with a few seconds to get her bearings.

"So, it worked?" Regina raised her eyes to meet Emma's again. She couldn't believe it. She'd thought they'd die, she'd literally felt the life of her leaving her body just as she did Emma's. Then, how could it be? How could they have survived it? Had it been just… a _dream_?

"What worked?" Emma asked tentatively.

"The spell" Regina whispered, running a hand through her dark locks in exasperation "But that magic… I… we…" She faltered, struggling to make sense of what had happened but failing miserably.

"Regina" Emma cupped the older woman's cheeks to draw her attention back to her but Regina wasn't listening to her, she was too lost in her own train of thought.

"We were _dying_" She breathed out, her voice breaking slightly.

"Regina, look at me" Emma lifted Regina's chin with her fingers and forced her to meet her eyes "We are _alive_" She took the brunette's hand and led it to her chest "Feel that?" She asked in a mere whisper, pressing Regina's hand tighter against her chest "That's the beating of a perfectly healthy heart" Regina let out a shaky breath and Emma smiled "_We_ are alive" She allowed the older woman to retrieve her hand and basked in the sight of her radiant smile that, she knew, not many people had had the privilege of witnessing.

But the moment of pure happiness lasted less than splitting second. Regina's features clouded with worry and Emma thought she could jolt from the bed at any moment.

"What is it?"

Regina looked up at her with tear-filled eyes and Emma's heart leaped in her chest.

"The baby" She whispered, afraid.

"Can you feel her? Is she ok?" Emma placed her hand over the brunette's belly and bore her eyes intently into the other woman's, trying with all her might to draw an answer from those brown orbs.

Regina closed her eyes and seemed to concentrate profoundly on the sensations that her body was giving her "I… yes" She fluttered her eyes open again to meet Emma's worried expression "I think I can"

The blonde exhaled audibly in relief and smiled weakly "We'll call Doc to check on her later though, so you can relax completely" She grabbed Regina by the hand and gave it a little reassuring squeeze.

"Thank you" The brunette's eyes sparkled in that way they did when a deep emotion was coursing through her veins.

"No, thank _you_" Emma said without thinking and, when she realized how her impulses had betrayed her, she lowered her head in embarrassment.

"What for, dear?" Regina smiled lopsidedly.

Emma raised her head again "Just for… being here, I guess" She shrugged, trying to conceal the real depth of her words.

Regina squeezed back the hand holding hers and smiled "My pleasure" Suddenly, a thought appeared in her mind "Emma?" The blonde's eyes gazed at her curiously "What do you remember of the attack?"

"Not much" She shrugged "I was leading my men through a narrow valley of rocky hills when we were ambushed by a large group of soldiers. They were hidden behind the rocks, above us… that's why we hadn't seen them. They literally jumped on our heads and they surrounded us so fast that I barely had time to register what was happening at all…"

"Were you able to see any banners or symbols in their clothing that could identify their leader or provenance?"

"No, not really" Emma shook her head "It all happened so fast… the only thing I remember other than that is that they were all dressed in black, from head to toes" She looked up at the other woman with a frown etched upon her face "How did they find out about us?"

Regina sighed and let go of Emma's hand to sit back on her heels "Henry mentioned that the raven carrying your letter had an injured wing. It seems to me that someone has been hacking our mailing"

"Makes sense" Emma pursed her lips "Who do you think could be doing this? It's clearly not the Giants or Ogres anymore…"

"No, it isn't" Regina conceded with a sad smile "Someone is commanding them, someone from my past. It's the only thing that explains why he or she can control the Giants and Ogres" She sighed tiredly "This is about me. Whoever is doing this is trying to get to _me_" She lowered her head, feeling the weight of all those lives lost because of her. Once upon a time, she would have reveled at the knowledge but now, now it just hurt too much for her to bear.

"No" Emma cupped the brunette's cheek with one hand and willed her eyes to meet hers "Regina, listen to me" She pleaded "Why would this person launch a war with Snow White and Prince Charming if he wanted to get to _you_?" She asked confidently.

Regina sighed but leaned a little on the other woman's touch, as if trying to draw as much strength as she could from her "Because attacking our castle would have been too easy. If he wanted to kill me he could have easily slipped into the castle and do it without even breaking a sweat" Regina shook her head, breaking the contact with Emma's hand "No, this person doesn't want to kill me" She paused to look intently at the blonde's expectant eyes "He wants revenge"

Emma ran a hand through her hair in frustration "It still doesn't make sense, Regina. Why going after Snow White? Isn't that like… giving you a hand, so to speak?"

"He's not going after Snow White" Regina barely whispered, lowering her eyes again.

Emma scooted closer to the brunette, as if knowing that her next answer would be said almost inaudibly "Then what is he going after?"

Regina lifted her gaze to meet Emma's and mouthed "You"

"What?" Emma's heart constricted in her chest, not at the knowledge that this person, whoever he was, was coming after her to get to Regina, but because the brunette had such a broken expression on her face when she said it that Emma could barely stand it.

"Yes" Regina said through gritted teeth. It was clear that this conversation was upsetting her "This person, whoever he is… he's clever. He knew that Snow would need your help to fight the Giants and Ogres and he knew you would give it to her, no matter what" She bore her eyes into Emma's "He was hoping to kill _you_ in that attack… but he failed"

Emma shook her head, trying to order her thoughts because nothing was making any sense to her anymore "Regina, why would this person want to kill _me_ if he wanted revenge against you?" She asked in a small voice, both fearful and hopeful of the answer "Regina?" The brunette had her head hanging downwards. Emma lifted her chin with her fingers and found tears streaming down her cheeks "Hey, it's ok" She draped an arm around Regina's shoulder and brought her closer to her body into a tight embrace "Whoever he is and whatever he's trying to do, I won't let him get to you. You know that, right?" She whispered reassuringly against the brunette's ear.

Wet tears started to damp the linen shirt she'd been put on and the body firmly held against hers began to sag as tremors shook her. Emma rubbed Regina's lower back tenderly and drew the other woman's head to rest in the crook of her neck with her free hand, all the while whispering reassuring words in her ear.

They stayed in that position for what seemed to be an eternity, until Regina's sobs quieted and her tremors subsided.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, clearly worried, as she held tightly onto the brunette.

She felt Regina nod her head weakly against her neck and slowly pull away to face her. The brunette didn't know how but, suddenly, their faces were separated only by mere inches. She knew she should try to put some distance between their bodies but she found the close proximity with the blonde welcoming and almost… reassuring. She raised her eyes to look at Emma. The younger woman was eyeing her with such intensity and affection that she couldn't help herself. Without breaking their eye-contact, she slowly leaned in and brushed her lips against Emma's.

Their kiss was both sloppy and chaste, it wasn't born of a sexual desire but of the need for comfort and closeness between the two women and, as their lips met, they felt something stir inside of themselves. Their kiss felt… _right_.

After what appeared to be a long minute, Regina ended the kiss but lingered close to the warmth radiating from Emma's body "Thank you" She whispered as she gazed intently at the blonde's lush green eyes.

Emma smiled and her eyes lit up with it. She lowered her body backwards to lay on her back and extended an arm invitingly to the brunette "It's the middle of the night" She offered lamely and her smile grew even wider when Regina rolled her eyes at her but still complied, laying on her side with her body pressed against hers and her head resting on her shoulder "Let's get some more sleep" Emma yawned, all the tiredness of the past events finally catching up with her. She felt Regina sigh and relax in her loose grip and she couldn't help the feeling of content and peacefulness that rose within her.

**IV**

"_And what would this __**deal**__ be about, dearie?" Rumpelstiltskin mocked, his eyes lightening up at her words. _

_He's fingers gripped the bars tighter now, a fact that didn't escape Snow's notice and made her feel suddenly insecure about what she'd come here to do. She shook her head, trying to dissipate the negative thoughts from her mind. She'd gone too far to back down now. _

_Snow closed her eyes, thinking of her daughter lying dead on that bed to give her strength for what she was about to do "I want you to bring Emma and… Regina back from the dead" _

_Apparently, her words caused an impression on that devious creature because, as soon as her words left her mouth, she felt a hot puff of air exhaled by Rumplestiltskin against her face. When she opened her eyes again he was so tightly pressed against the prison bars that it was surely going to leave marks on his greenish skin. _

_Snow gave a little jump backwards, startled by his proximity. _

_Rumplestiltskin smirked at her reaction "Sorry, dearie, but dead is __**dead**__" His eyes glowed and his eyebrows rose, as if challenging her to defy him._

"_So, that's it?" Snow stepped backwards, confusion and denial marring her features "I can't do anything for them, can I?" She whispered, bringing her free hand to her chest where her heart began to ache painfully._

_Rumplestiltskin shook his green and twisted index finger back and forth, recapturing Snow's attention completely "Tsk, tsk, tsk… magic can't bring back the dead but that won't be necessary because…" He pressed his body tighter to the bars and willed her to move as close to his face as she dared "…they are not dead" He whispered this last bit, laughing deviously when Snow's features lit up in hope again._

"_What? But…" She shook her head, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together in her head but nothing was making any sense to her anymore. They were dead, both Emma and Regina, she had seen them with her own eyes. They had no pulse, so how could it be?_

"_Powerful magic, dearie" Snow snapped her head up at Rumpelstiltskins' words. He was smirking, clearly enjoying himself a little too much at her expense "They are not dead or alive either… let's just say that they are __**frozen**__" He stressed the word with particular interest, as if the concept behind it amazed even him._

_Something seemed to click inside her head and her eyes lit up. She was barely able to suppress a smile when she stated "Like a sleeping curse"_

"_Uhm…" Rumpelstiltskin pushed himself backwards with his hands to put some distance between his body and the prison bars. He seemed to ponder on his answer for a moment and then he raised a finger "No"_

_Snow's hopeful expression suddenly clouded with confusion again "Oh" She burrowed her eyebrows together "But that means you __**can**__ bring them back, right?" She was the one pressed up against the cold prison bars now._

_Rumpelstiltskin eyed her up and down, slowly licking his lips as if what he was about to say tasted better than all the sweets in the world "Of course I can… for a __**price**__"_

_Snow bit her lip. She was counting on him saying that. After all, since when did the Dark One give away anything for free?_

"_There's always a price with you, Rumpelstiltskin, but I am willing to pay it… whichever the cost" _

_He gave a little jump in excitement upon hearing her words and, with a shake of his hand, a puff of purple smoke appeared in the air. When the magic dissipated enough for Snow to see what lied beneath she squared her shoulders and waited for him to cross the distance between them._

"_I thought you didn't have magic in here" She whispered angrily._

"_Be grateful that I do, dearie" Rumpelstiltskin walked slowly up to the prison bars with his arm extended, showing her the contract that she would have to sign for their deal to be sealed. _

"_I will do anything" Snow said more to herself than anything as she watched him close the distance between them, with the contract firmly held in his hand._

"_Even…" He watched appraisingly as her eyes roamed like speeding cars over the tiny black letters on the contract "…__**this**__?"_

_Snow read the terms of the contract almost in a blurring speed. She'd been expecting him to throw his worst at her, to ask her the impossible. She was even prepared to give up her own life to save Emma's but she would have never seen this coming. _

"_Why?" She breathed out, raising her head to meet the Dark One's gaze with newly formed tears in her eyes "What could you possibly want with their baby?"_

"_That, dearie, is entirely __**my**__ business" He answered, poking his face through the bars so close to hers that she felt his hot breath on her skin "So, do we have a deal?"_

_Snow let her gaze drop to the ground, feeling utterly defeated. Rumpelstiltskin wanted Emma and Regina's unborn baby in exchange for breaking the spell they were under. She didn't understand his motives, she never had. He always played games and tricked minds with such ease… it was too hard for her to get the upper hand. _

_Snow ran a hand through her short locks. Charming had been right, she should have never come to his aid. But what else could she do? Whether she wanted it or not, with Regina out of the picture, Rumpelstiltskin was the only one powerful enough to break a spell like this. She needed him and, in order for him to help, she'd have to agree to his terms, no matter how hard and unjust they could be. _

_She let out a shaky breath and looked up again. Rumpelstiltskin was eyeing her with mirth in his eyes._

"_I can't lose Emma, not again" She whispered brokenly. She was defeated._

_Rumpelstiltskin pressed his body against the bars and poked his head through them again to be as close to the woman as he could. He raised the arm holding the contract and said "Then __**sign**__ it"_

Regina sat bolt upright in the bed and screamed.

"NO!"

**A/N: Yeah, I love cliffhangers haha. Merry Christmas to all of you =) My gift to you is this update, so if you're enjoying the story so far gimme a gift back by reviewing? =)**


	6. Lies

**I**

Regina made her way across the campsite with long, determined strides. It was still dark outside, which gave her all the coverage she needed. She was supposed to be bed-timing and recovering from the exertions the spell had taken on her body and, the fact that nobody knew they'd woken up yet, only aggravated things. So, she was thankful for the absence of the sun and any other source of illumination that could give her away.

Truth was that she had something extremely important to do and then she would be gone. It was of outmost necessity that she did this now, under the veil of darkness, so she had sneaked out of the tent she shared with Emma with the silent grace of a ghost and slipped past the guards unnoticed.

It was rather easy, to be honest. She counted with years of expertise in the subject. After all, you didn't get to be called the Evil Queen fully if you couldn't master the art of moving around undetected. She only hoped that Emma wouldn't wake up and find she was gone. Regina doubted very much the younger woman's ability to stay put. In fact, she was rather certain that, if Emma woke up and realized she wasn't sleeping soundly next to her, she'd go looking for her and Regina couldn't allow that to happen.

As she walked across the camp and headed for the improvised stables, Regina pondered on her options for the tenth time. She had never second-guessed herself, it wasn't in her nature. But, for some reason, she was now. Snow's treason would surely devastate Emma and Regina wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to do that.

On one hand, the prospect of telling Emma of her mother's betrayal sounded as sweet as a free candy would to a child but, on the other hand, Regina was positive that the knowledge would hurt the blonde far more than what she could possibly bear. Regina wanted to pulverize Snow just as much as she always had and this, she knew, was the perfect chance to do so. It even gave her the best excuse since Snow had done this all of her own accord but she didn't want to hurt Emma and even less at such great extent.

She was conflicted.

Regina came to a halt at the entrance of the small stable that the soldiers had built for their horses for as long as the war lasted. She looked up at the night sky and, by analyzing the position of the moon, she knew exactly just how much time she had before dawn. She let out a long breath and pushed the double doors open.

Inside, a startled figure jumped down from her horse and landed rather unceremoniously on the hay beneath her feet.

"Regina!" Snow brought a hand to her chest and clutched tightly at the fabric of her coat, where her heart was thumping frantically. She certainly wasn't expecting anyone to enter the stables, let alone surprise her like that "I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad to see you are alive," Snow smiled timidly but whole heartedly at Regina and moved a few steps closer to the older woman "is Emma…?" She trailed off, suddenly fearful of completing her sentence.

"Emma is fine, dear." Regina answered dismissively. She remained by her place under the threshold, not daring to take another step forward. Controlling her raging emotions was getting hard enough and she didn't want to risk finding out just how worse it could get by moving nearer to the source of her current predicament.

"Thank God." Snow sighed audibly and let out a shaky chuckle, feeling how all her pent up nerves slowly faded away. Her daughter was fine, Emma was alive. It was all it mattered.

Across from her, Regina shifted positions. She straightened up, seeming taller and more imposing than she'd ever looked before… even as The Evil Queen "Thank _Gold_, I'd say… though I believe he goes by Rumplestiltskin again now." She fixed her eyes on Snow White's petite form and watched with the scrutiny of a hawk how the younger woman's body convulsed slightly by a shiver running up her spine.

"W-What?" Snow's heart skipped a beat.

"Don't play the innocent lamb on me, Snow." Regina finally moved closer to the seemingly frozen younger woman and circled her like a panther would to its prey "I know _exactly_ what you did." She whispered the emphasized word on the other woman's ear and reveled at the sight of her shrinking form.

"But how…?" Snow stammered, craning her neck back and forth as she tried to get a look on Regina.

"You're not even trying to deny it… I'm impressed." Regina spat with false mirth in her tone. She slowly rounded the petite woman and came to a halt in front of her, so that she could look into those treacherous eyes as she spoke.

"Regina." Snow pleaded, her hands automatically reaching for Regina's arm but the older woman jerked away abruptly.

"Save it." Regina tried to ground herself. She wanted to rip this woman's heart out with such fervor that it reminded her of who she used to be, and she had come a long way from that so as to succumb now. "I know all about the deal… our lives in exchange for the baby, wasn't it?" She glared at the pathetic form in front of her.

Snow was shaking and desperately trying to fight back the tears that were forming in her eyes. The weight of her actions was suffocating her. She'd wanted to save Emma, hell she'd even wanted to save Regina, but above all, she had not wanted to lose the daughter she'd already lost once again. She'd never imagined that the repercussions of her actions would come to pass judgment on her so soon; she'd been counting on finding a way around Rumplestiltskin's deal somehow.

"Regina, please." Snow begged, stepping closer to the other woman and trying to get a hold on her arm again.

"Wasn't it?!" Regina shouted, moving out of Snow's reach. Her nostrils flared and her eyes flashed a dangerous shade of purple, which was a clear indication of her rapidly increasing loss of control.

Snow's shoulders sagged and, suddenly, there seemed to be no trace of the valiant woman and Queen of this land that the people knew she was, just a fearful child who had betrayed Regina once again "I… yes." She admitted with her head cast low. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the older woman's eyes. The shame rising in her gut was just too much for her to handle.

"I always knew you were a snake but this… a _deal_ with The Dark One, no less." Regina spat, venom seeping into her words "How could you, Snow?" Her voice broke just slightly "How could you promise him a life that is not yours to give?"

Snow's head snapped up at the mention of Regina and Emma's unborn child and her eyes widened in shock. She was slowly beginning to comprehend the weight of her actions "Regina… I'm so sorry." She whispered brokenly, the tears that she'd somehow managed to suppress until this point sprung from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

"Don't you dare apologizing!" Regina yelled, towering over the crying woman "And know something, Snow. You are not getting anywhere near this baby, did you hear me?" Snow shrunk even further under her imposing figure "I've lost one life at your hands, I will _not_ lose another." Regina turned around on her heels and headed for the door furiously, leaving a very broken and guilty Snow behind.

**II**

Emma clutched the furs around her shivering body more tightly and walked closer to Regina. It was probably close to four or five in the morning, it was freezing and Emma couldn't, for the life of her, understand what the other woman could possibly have to do outside the warmth and comfort of their shared tent "What are you doing?" She asked to the brunette's back. From her proximity, she could see that the other woman was crouching on the grass, securing a rucksack and stuffing some items into another.

"I'm doing exactly what it looks like I'm doing, dear, I'm leaving." She answered dryly, without turning to meet Emma's inquiring eyes.

"Yes, I can see that but why?" When she received no answer, Emma placed a hand over the brunette's shoulder and forced her to turn around "Regina, stop." Emma gazed at the brunette and frowned "Why are you leaving?"

Regina looked at Emma with pensive and sorrowful eyes. The woman standing before her was oblivious to what was going on completely and it troubled Regina more than what she could possibly say. Once again she was thrust with the decision of whether to tell Emma the truth or hide it from her.

As she gazed intently into those passionate green orbs, the words that would seal Snow's fate rose in her gut and prickled dangerously at her insides, urging her to spill them out. Regina opened her mouth and made her decision.

"I can't stay here any longer," She forced out, swallowing the words that had formed in her throat down "my son needs me." She said, avoiding meeting Emma's eyes and, even though it wasn't entirely a lie, it still felt like a gruesome one.

Emma bore her eyes into Regina's ever darkening ones and studied what she saw there. The brunette's face was a rigid mask of impenetrable coldness and her features betrayed nothing, except for a desperate need to remain like that: unreadable.

"Regina, you know I can tell when people are lying to me and, right now, you _are._" Emma watched how a vein popped up in Regina's temple, the only sign that she had hit a nerve "Why are you leaving?" She asked again, this time more softly and delicately, as she kneeled before the crouching brunette.

Regina glared openly at her "I don't care about what you believe or don't believe." She spat, fuming "I'm leaving because my son has been without his mother for far too long and because a battlefield is no place for..." She gestured angrily with her hand to her protruding belly "well, _this_."

The brunette contemplated how Emma's features changed from open curiosity and slight anger to clear understanding and complaisance. Regina hoped with every ounce of her being that her made up irritability served to sell the lie she'd harbored to appease Emma because, else, she'd have to tell the truth and, if she did, she was sure it would be the first time that she ever regretted hurting Snow White.

"I see," Emma said, moving her hand to press it over Regina's stomach tenderly "then I'm coming with you."

The blonde's determinacy caused Regina's carefully guarded expression to crumple. She certainly hadn't been expecting to hear that.

"That's very touching, dear, but your place is here." Regina forced out, trying to regain control of the fluttering emotions that Emma's words had just arisen in her.

"Not if you instruct your army to obey my mo-Snow, then she'll manage just fine without me." Emma smiled tentatively, waiting for Regina's approval.

There was something in the blonde's expression that Regina found incredibly confusing and endearing at the same time. Emma was asking her permission to join her and travel back to the castle. She _wanted_ to accompany her. Regina couldn't remember the last time someone had willingly offered to spend time with her.

"Fine," She tried to sound nonchalant but her wavering eyes gave her away "but be quick about it, dear." She pushed up with her knees to stand up – it was getting hard to do with the added weight on her – but Emma tended her hand to her and helped her up "I don't wish to remain in this place a second longer than strictly necessary." Regina rubbed her hands against her pants to clean them and shot an impassive look to the blonde.

"Yeah, ok." Emma gave a few steps backwards as she spoke "I'll talk to Snow and I'll be right back." She turned around in order to leave but spun back around a second later "Uh, can you have a horse saddled for me?"

"A horse won't be necessary, dear." Regina stated matter-of-factly and enjoyed the look of utter confusion that etched upon Emma's face.

"Then how are we travelling back to the Castle?" She asked, clearly puzzled. The ways of this world were still a mystery to her.

"Like this." Regina turned on her hills and pointed with her hand to a gigantic bird attached to a carriage near some trees that had, until this moment, remained unseen to the blonde.

Emma took in the sight of the beast and paled visibly "What the hell is that?" She asked, horrified, and Regina couldn't help the smirk that tugged at the corner of her lips.

"_That_," She stressed, shooting a pointed look to the creature "is a gryphon, dear."

"You gotta be joking, Regina" Emma gasped out and her eyes widened in shock.

Regina closed the distance separating them and purred in Emma's ear "How you'd _wish._"


End file.
